The Argentine national team experienced a unique moment on Friday, March 22 during their friendly match against El Salvador in the United States. The absence of Lionel Messi seemed to have a significant impact on their 3-0 victory.
Traditionally, whenever Messi plays for the Albiceleste, stadiums are packed with fans. However, this time, the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia had numerous empty seats, which is unusual for the world-renowned team. The influence of Messi on the team’s popularity and ticket demand was evident, especially after his move to Inter Miami last year.
In the absence of Messi, Argentina secured their victory with goals from Cristian ‘Cuti’ Romero, Enzo Fernández, and Giovani Lo Celso.
The reason for Messi’s absence from the national team was due to a hamstring injury he suffered during a match against Nashville. Inter Miami confirmed the injury, resulting in Messi being unable to join the team for the friendly tour. Despite returning to training with the North American team, he was cautious in his recovery process.
Argentina is set to face Costa Rica on Tuesday, March 26, for their second friendly match in the United States. Coach Lionel Scaloni faces challenges with key players like Messi and Paulo Dybala unavailable for the upcoming match.