DOHA: Lionel Messi, along with six other Argentina players, missed the first training session in Qatar on Friday, just four days ahead of their FIFA World Cup opener against Saudi Arabia in Group C.
The biggest sporting event of the year is set to kick off tomorrow (Sunday) with host Qatar taking on Ecuador in the opening game after a grand opening ceremony.
Messi, regarded as one of the finest footballers in the world, enters the competition with the optimism to fill the only missing pearl in an otherwise successful sporting career and take Argentina to its first World Cup victory after 36 years.
On Friday, around 400 reporters gathered at Qatar University, where Argentina were holding their opening training session, to catch a glimpse of the 35-year-old star footballer. Yet they returned dejected when he didn’t appear.
Argentine outlet Ole reported that the Paris Saint-Germain star spent the start of Friday’s training session in the gym as part of a ‘special’ programme designed for him to prevent any risk of injury before the megaevent.
Messi was joined by midfielders Rodrigo De Paul and Leandro Paredes, defender Nicolas Otamendi and forward Angel di Maria in separate training from the rest of the team.
Earlier, two Argentinian players Joaquin Correa and Nicolas Gonzalez were sent home due to injuries ahead of the team’s debut, with Angel Correa and Thiago Almada named as their replacements.
Seven-time Ballon d’Or winner has the lost shot to win the biggest glory for his national side since he had already announced that Qatar would be his last World Cup.
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