Messi set to return for Argentina against Iceland

Lionel Messi is poised to make his return for Argentina in their final pre-World Cup friendly against Iceland on Tuesday in Auburn, Alabama. Head coach Lionel Scaloni confirmed the captain's inclusion, though he indicated that Messi's minutes would be carefully managed.

Messi missed Argentina's previous 2-0 victory over Honduras due to muscle fatigue in his left hamstring, an issue that surfaced during his club duties with Inter Miami. "Messi will play, I just don’t know how many minutes," Scaloni stated at a press conference. "I still need to talk to him in today’s training, and we will see how many minutes he plays to avoid any type of risks."

The reigning world champions are using this match to fine-tune their squad ahead of their title defense in the FIFA World Cup 2026. Scaloni emphasized the importance of distributing playing time among the squad to prevent injuries. "We’re going to distribute the minutes of the players who will play tomorrow to try to avoid any mishaps," the coach explained.

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Messi will play, I just don’t know how many minutes. I still need to talk to him in today’s training, and we will see how many minutes he plays to avoid any type of risks. We will decide, but in principle he will play.

In addition to Messi's return, Argentina received positive news regarding several injured players. Nico Paz, Nahuel Molina, and Gonzalo Montiel are now available for selection after training separately. Scaloni also provided updates on Julian Alvarez and Leandro Paredes, both of whom have been dealing with minor fitness concerns but are progressing well.

The team is still assessing options to replace defender Leonardo Balerdi, who was ruled out of the tournament with a calf injury. Scaloni mentioned that a clearer picture regarding his replacement would emerge after the Iceland match, with the team considering various options depending on the recovery status of other players. Argentina will begin their World Cup campaign against Algeria on June 16.

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We’re going to distribute the minutes of the players who will play tomorrow to try to avoid any mishaps.