The Argentina coach, Lionel Scaloni, tried to reduce the tension around Lionel Messi’s physical condition ahead of the 2026 World Cup, although he acknowledged that several important Albiceleste players arrive with physical problems a few weeks before the start of the tournament.
Messi set off the alarm last Sunday when he left the Inter Miami CF match against the Philadelphia Union in the MLS with discomfort. Subsequently, the American club confirmed that the Argentine captain suffered “overload associated with muscle fatigue” in his left hamstring.
Despite the concern generated by the scene, Scaloni conveyed a moderately optimistic message.
“The first news is not so bad. Logically we would prefer that nothing happened to him, now we have to wait for his evolution,” declared the coach in an interview with DSports.
The Argentine star, who will turn 39 on June 25, aims to compete in his sixth World Cup, a historical mark that he could equal alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Guillermo Ochoa.
Argentina arrives with several pieces touched
Beyond the Messi case, Scaloni admitted that the current world champion faces the final stretch of preparation with multiple physical questions.
Among the affected players are Cristian Romero, who has a strain in the collateral ligament of his right knee, as well as the full-backs Nahuel Molina and Gonzalo Montiel, both with muscle tears suffered at the end of the European season.
“The majority of those who had problems are not fully recovered and our goal is for everyone to arrive as well as possible,” Scaloni acknowledged.
The coach also announced that he will call up more than 30 players for the friendlies prior to the World Cup, leaving open the possibility of last-minute changes before presenting the final list of 26 players.
The debut of the Albiceleste
Argentina will debut in the World Cup on June 16 against Algeria in Kansas City, within Group J, which also includes Jordan and Austria.
Before the World Cup premiere, the Albiceleste will play two warm-up friendlies: on June 6 against Honduras in Texas and on June 9 against Iceland in Alabama.
