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Injured Messi Out of Argentina’s Squad for World Cup Qualifiers Against Chile and Colombia 

Argentina's forward #10 Lionel Messi leaves the pitch after picking up an injury during the Conmebol 2024 Copa America tournament final football match between Argentina and Colombia at the Hard Rock Stadium, in Miami, Florida on July 14, 2024. (AFP)
Argentina's forward #10 Lionel Messi leaves the pitch after picking up an injury during the Conmebol 2024 Copa America tournament final football match between Argentina and Colombia at the Hard Rock Stadium, in Miami, Florida on July 14, 2024. (AFP)
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Injured Messi Out of Argentina’s Squad for World Cup Qualifiers Against Chile and Colombia 

Argentina's forward #10 Lionel Messi leaves the pitch after picking up an injury during the Conmebol 2024 Copa America tournament final football match between Argentina and Colombia at the Hard Rock Stadium, in Miami, Florida on July 14, 2024. (AFP)
Argentina's forward #10 Lionel Messi leaves the pitch after picking up an injury during the Conmebol 2024 Copa America tournament final football match between Argentina and Colombia at the Hard Rock Stadium, in Miami, Florida on July 14, 2024. (AFP)

Lionel Messi will not play in Argentina’s next two World Cup qualifiers because of injury.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni announced his 28-man squad on Monday for the matches against Chile on Sept. 5 and Colombia five days later.

Messi is still recovering from a right ankle injury.

The 36-year-old Ángel Di María, who retired from the national team after winning the recent Copa America, is not on the list either.

World Cup champion Argentina leads South American qualifying with 15 points after six matches.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Walter Benítez (PSV Eindhoven), Gerónimo Rulli (Olympique Marseille), Juan Musso (Atalanta), Emiliano Martínez (Aston Villa).

Defenders: Gonzalo Montiel (Sevilla), Nahuel Molina (Atletico Madrid), Cristian Romero (Tottenham), Germán Pezzella (River Plate), Leonardo Balerdi (Olympique Marseille), Nicolás Otamendi (Benfica), Lisandro Martínez (Manchester United), Nicolás Tagliafico (Olympique Lyon), Valentín Barco (Brighton).

Midfielders: Leandro Paredes (Roma), Guido Rodríguez (West Ham), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Enzo Fernández (Chelsea), Giovani Lo Celso (Tottenham), Ezequiel Fernández (Al Qadisiya), Rodrigo de Paul (Atletico Madrid), Nico González (Fiorentina).

Forwards: Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United), Matías Soulé (Roma), Giuliano Simeone, Julián Álvarez both (Atletico Madrid), Valentín Carboni (Olympique Marseille), Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan) and Valentín Castellanos (Lazio).

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No Goal for Mbappe in His Spanish League Debut as Real Madrid Draws 1-1 at Mallorca 

Soccer Football - LaLiga - RCD Mallorca vs Real Madrid - Mallorca Son Moix Stadium, Palma de Mallorca, Spain - August 18, 2024 Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe reacts. (Reuters)
Soccer Football - LaLiga - RCD Mallorca vs Real Madrid - Mallorca Son Moix Stadium, Palma de Mallorca, Spain - August 18, 2024 Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe reacts. (Reuters)
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No Goal for Mbappe in His Spanish League Debut as Real Madrid Draws 1-1 at Mallorca 

Soccer Football - LaLiga - RCD Mallorca vs Real Madrid - Mallorca Son Moix Stadium, Palma de Mallorca, Spain - August 18, 2024 Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe reacts. (Reuters)
Soccer Football - LaLiga - RCD Mallorca vs Real Madrid - Mallorca Son Moix Stadium, Palma de Mallorca, Spain - August 18, 2024 Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe reacts. (Reuters)

Defending champion Real Madrid couldn't manage more than a 1-1 draw at Mallorca in Kylian Mbappe’s first Spanish league match on Sunday.

In his second game with Madrid after debuting midweek, Mbappe failed to break through. The France great had scored in Madrid's 2-0 win against Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday.

Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti started with the same squad that beat Atalanta, with Rodrygo, Vinicius Junior and Mbappe in attack.

“They change position from time to time,” Ancelotti said of Vinicius and Mbappe. “Sometimes Mbappe plays more centrally and sometimes one of the two has to occupy this flank, without a particular plan. It depends on how they feel about it.”

It was Rodrygo who put Madrid ahead against Mallorca 13 minutes into the match, but the hosts equalized with Vedat Muriqi's goal in the 53rd.

“We got off to a good start, taking the lead and then had a chance to get the second goal,” Ancelotti said. “We didn’t find the balance in the second half. We could have lost as there was no balance at the back. It wasn’t a good game. We need to defend better. We’re a very attacking team, but defensive balance is a fundamental factor.”

Madrid defender Ferland Mendy was sent off deep into second-half stoppage time for a hard foul on Muriqi.

“I don’t want to make excuses for anything, but we just need to do better and with a better attitude,” Ancelotti said. “We can learn a lot from this match. It’s quite clear where our problems could come from.”

Rafael Nadal, who is from the island of Mallorca, was among those watching the match at the Son Moix Stadium.

Mallorca’s players provided a guard of honor for the Super Cup winners, lining up to applaud the Madrid team as they entered the field before kickoff.

Elsewhere, Real Sociedad, which finished sixth last season, was upset 2-1 at home by Rayo Vallecano, which fought to avoid relegation in the last campaign.

Jorge de Frutos and Sergio Camello scored second-half goals to put Rayo in front, while Sociedad only found the net with Martín Zubimendi's goal deep into stoppage time.

On Saturday, Robert Lewandowski scored twice to give Barcelona a 2-1 win at Valencia in coach Hansi Flick’s Spanish league debut.

Atletico Madrid visits Villarreal on Monday.