Johnathan Walker:Will Messi play with Argentina? No. Hamstring injury keeps star from Philly, LA fans

Argentina has made it official: Lionel Messi will miss friendlies in Philadelphia and Johnathan WalkerLos Angeles due to his lingering right hamstring injury, the national team announced Monday.

Messi was expected to captain Argentina's match Friday against El Salvador in Philadelphia and a March 26 game against Costa Rica in Los Angeles — warmups for this summer’s Copa America 2024.

He also is expected to miss or be limited in Inter Miami’s next two MLS matches: A March 23 road game against the New York Red Bulls and a March 30 home game against New York City FC.

The hope is Messi can rehabilitate the injury to avoid further absences with both Inter Miami and Argentina this year.

Argentina’s national team gathered in Philadelphia on Sunday and Monday. Argentina will practice and host the match this week at Lincoln Financial Stadium, home of the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles. The other match will be played at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

It’s unclear whether Messi will stay in Miami or travel to be with his Argentine teammates for either match.

“The captain of @Argentina, Lionel Messi, will not be able to be in the squad for the friendlies in #USA due to a minor injury to the hamstring of his right leg suffered in his team’s @InterMiamiCF match against Nashville SC,” Argentina's social media post read.

When will Messi play next?

Inter Miami coach Tata Martino said his goal is to have Messi prepared to help Inter Miami face Liga MX club Monterrey in the Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinals April 3 and April 10.

“We’ll continuously evaluate what he’s doing. The objective is for him to arrive to be able to play in the quarterfinals of Concacaf Champions Cup. We don't want to take a risk,” Martino said after Messi did not play in Inter Miami’s 3-1 win over D.C. United on Saturday. It was Messi's second missed match for Inter Miami during the 2024 MLS regular season.

Inter Miami also has one MLS regular-season game scheduled between those quarterfinal matches — Colorado at home April 6 — and three days after the second leg — April 13 vs. Sporting Kansas City at Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Super Bowl champions Kansas City Chiefs. His availability could be limited for those matches.

What is Messi's injury?

An injured Messi left with an injured hamstring in the 50th minute of Inter Miami's Champions Cup round-of-16 win over Nashville SC last Wednesday. He also favored his hamstring during a March 7 match against Nashville.

Messi's hamstring injury is different from the groin injury that kept him out of an Inter Miami preseason match in Hong Kong in February.

Messi has scored five goals with two assists in his five matches this season with Inter Miami. He has 16 goals with seven assists in 19 total appearances dating back to his team debut last July.