Argentina captain Lionel Messi has been confirmed to play in the upcoming Copa América semifinal against Canada. This news was announced by head coach Lionel Scaloni in a press conference with reporters, including FOX Sports’ Doug McIntyre. Messi had suffered an injury during Argentina’s second group-stage match against Chile, causing him to miss the final group-stage game against Peru. In the quarterfinals against Ecuador, Messi played a reduced role as Argentina secured a victory through a penalty shootout.
Despite not scoring yet in this tournament, Messi will be looking to lead Argentina to a third consecutive major tournament title, following their previous victories in the 2021 Copa América and the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup. The team will face Canada, whom they defeated 2-0 in the opening match of this Copa América. However, Canada, under the guidance of American coach Jesse Marsch, has shown strong performances in their recent matches, earning a rematch with the favored Argentina squad.
The highly anticipated match between Argentina and Canada is scheduled for Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET, airing on FS1 and the FOX Sports App. The winner of this game will advance to the final to face the winner of the other semifinal between Colombia and Uruguay. The final will take place on Sunday at 8 p.m. ET in Miami, where Messi currently plays for MLS club Inter Miami.
The semifinal matchups in the Copa América promise to deliver exciting football action, with fans eagerly anticipating the performances of top players like Messi. Stay tuned for more updates and coverage of the tournament to see which team will emerge victorious in the final showdown.