Lionel Messi and Argentina return to action next week for their last two matches of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers of the year, against Paraguay and Peru. However, an important player won’t be able to travel with the team, according to a new report.
By Natalia Lobo
By Natalia Lobo
Lionel Messi and Argentina will conclude their 2024 international schedule with one final break, in which they face Paraguay and Peru in the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers. However, despite being called up by Lionel Scaloni, Juventus winger Nicolas Gonzalez won’t be traveling with the team, according to Tyc Sports journalist Gaston Edul.
According to Edul, Gonzalez will now stay in Italy to recover from his muscular injury. The winger has not played for club or country since he limped off injured during Juventus’s 3-2 victory over RB Leipzig in the Champions League at the beginning of October.
While his call up with the national team seemed to be a positive update on his recovery, it seems like Gonzalez will stay out of action more time. He has missed seven matches across Serie A and the Champions League.
With Argentina, Gonzalez’s last match was during his team’s defeat 2-1 against Colombia, playing the full 90 minutes and scoring the visitors’ only goal. Due to his muscular injury, he missed the matches against Venezuela and Bolivia.
Nicolas Gonzalez of Argentina celebrates after scoring the team’s first goal during the South American FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier match between Colombia and Argentina (Andres Rot/Getty Images)
However, Gonzalez isn’t the only big name missing the Paraguay and Peru matches. Roma’s star Paulo Dybala isn’t part of the squad for the upcoming matches, after last being called up in the September matches.
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On the other hand, Cristian Romero and Giovani Lo Celso are also part of the squad, despite their recent injuries. Romero had to leave the pitch 15 minutes into the second half of Tottenham’s match against Aston Villa on Sunday, but he reportedly will be available to play.
Edul said that the defender suffered a “ligament injury in his right toe,” and that he “will rest for a week or ten days.” Meanwhile, Lo Celso, who has been out in the past weeks due to a hamstring injury, will come back to the national team after completing his recovery.
Argentina will first play against Paraguay as visitors in Defensores del Chaco Stadium on Thursday, November 14th. Then, the World Cup champions will welcome Peru at La Bombonera on Tuesday, November 19th in their final match of the year.
Natalia is a sports journalist at Bolavip US, where she covers soccer, tennis, and the broader sports world. She also works as an entertainment journalist at Spoiler US, focusing on the film industry, series, reality TV, and celebrity news. With a diverse background that includes reporting on sports, fashion, and culture, she brings a rich and varied perspective to her current roles. Natalia holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication and Media from the Universidad Central of Venezuela (UCV) and has over eight years of experience in digital media. She has previously contributed her bilingual skills in English and Spanish to outlets such as Revista Exclusiva and Cambio16.
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