Lionel Messi will miss Argentina's 2018 World Cup qualifier in Venezuela on Tuesday in the wake of harming his crotch in Thursday's 1-0 triumph over Uruguay.

The Barcelona forward scored on his arrival from universal retirement to send Argentina top of the South America qualifying bunch.

Messi said after the amusement that his crotch had been "harming a ton".

Argentina mentor Edgardo Bauza said: "He won't have the capacity to play. We can't go out on a limb. We should deal with him."

After seven of the 18 qualifying amusements Argentina lead Uruguay, Colombia and Ecuador by one point with Brazil a point further back in fifth.

A main four completion will secure programmed capability for Russia 2018, with the fifth-put side confronting a two-legged play-off against a group from Oceania - New Zealand, New Caledonia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands or Tahiti