The Argentina team has a big worry on its shoulders. Lionel Messi is not in full physical condition. Lionel Scaloni, Albiceleste coach, explained his plans for the last preparation match before the 2026 World Cup.

Lionel Messi alarmed fans of the Argentina national team after suffering an overload associated with muscle fatigue in the left hamstring. This happened in an Inter Miami match against Philadelphia Union in the MLS.

A couple of weeks have passed since the first diagnosis and Lionel Scaloni offered good details about Messi's status. The Albiceleste strategist considers that Messi is ready to see minutes with Argentina.

"Lionel Messi is going to play, I still don't know how many minutes. I'm going to talk to him during training to avoid any type of risk," said the South American team's coach.

The Argentina team played a match against Honduras on June 7. The South American team beat the Concacaf representative 2-0 without Messi on the field. This Tuesday, June 9, the Albiceleste will return to the ring to face Iceland at the Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Alabama, United States. Lionel Messi is expected to see action.

Argentina in the World Cup

After the duel against Iceland, Lionel Messi will have more days of rest before his debut in the 2026 World Cup. Argentina's first match in the World Cup will be on Tuesday, June 16 against the Algeria team.

The Albiceleste's next match will be on Monday, June 22 against the Austrian team. On June 27 they will close their participation in the group stage with a duel against Jordan. As there are a greater number of teams in the tournament, Messi will have longer recovery times.