The superstar forward limped off a little over an hour into La Albiceleste's 1-0 victory over Colombia in Miami on 14 July and has not featured since.

Messi, 37, did not play in the MLS All-Star game, with his club side Inter Miami confirming he had sustained ligament damage to his right ankle and no timeline has been put on his return.

Lionel Scaloni has the likes of Julian Alvarez, Lautaro Martinez and Nicolas Gonzales to call upon, while Lazio forward Valentin Castellanos earns a first call-up.

Argentina faces Chile in Buenos Aires on 5 September before travelling to Bogota for a rematch with Colombia five days later.

Scaloni's side, hoping to defend its World Cup title in 2026 by qualifying for the tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada, sits top of CONMEBOL qualifying with five wins from six matches.

The top six nations from CONMEBOL qualify for the tournament, while seventh place goes into a play-off for an additional berth.