Scaloni Says Messi Is 'Doing Well' and Could Play in World Cup Warmups
Lionel Messi is on the mend — and Argentina's coaching staff is cautiously optimistic he could see minutes before the defending champions open their 2026 World Cup campaign on June 16.
Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni confirmed Friday that Messi, 38, has rejoined portions of full-team training after dealing with muscle fatigue in his left hamstring. The injury was sustained May 25 during Inter Miami's final MLS match of the season against the Philadelphia Union, just days before Messi reported to the national team camp.
"Leo is doing well," Scaloni said. "Leo trained for a part with the group, which is important. He's not fully separated — he's coming along. He may be part of the friendly matches, getting some minutes in these two friendlies. We'll see if it's the one tomorrow or the next one."
The Injury and the Timeline
The hamstring concern sent an immediate wave of anxiety through Argentine football circles. Messi arriving to a World Cup camp injured — even with a minor complaint — is the kind of news that stops a country in its tracks. Argentina is the defending champion, Messi is its captain, and the tournament begins in eight days.
The initial prognosis was cautious. Early reports suggested Messi might only be ready in time for the Group J opener against Algeria, with the two pre-tournament warmup matches — against Honduras on June 6 and Iceland on June 9 in Auburn, Alabama — potentially happening without him.
That picture has improved. As of Sunday, ESPN reported that Messi could feature against Iceland, with Scaloni indicating his recovery has progressed faster than expected. The key update: Messi is no longer training on a fully separate individual program. Rejoining the group, even partially, is the clearest signal yet that he is ahead of schedule.
How Argentina Is Managing Him
Scaloni has been deliberate about setting expectations and avoiding a rigid timeline. The approach is day-to-day, built around how Messi is responding rather than a predetermined plan.
"These are decisions you make by looking at the day-to-day reality," Scaloni said. "It's useless to say right now that we have a rigid plan, because if he is flying on the pitch, that plan goes out the window. The real plan is to manage him gradually, see how he responds, gauge his sensations, and then make our decisions based on that."
Every decision, Scaloni said, is being made in consultation with Messi directly. "Every decision we've made, we've discussed with him," the coach said.
Other injury concerns in the Argentine camp have also eased. Nico Paz, the 21-year-old Como midfielder, completed his first full training session Sunday after recovering from a knee injury sustained May 10. Right-backs Nahuel Molina and Gonzalo Montiel have also recovered from their respective setbacks and are available for the Iceland friendly.
What Is at Stake
Argentina enters the 2026 World Cup as the defending champion, having won the title in Qatar in 2022 — a tournament that produced one of the most celebrated finals in the tournament's history. Messi, now 38 and turning 39 during the tournament, is playing in what is almost certainly his final World Cup.
The pressure to have him healthy and available from the first group stage match is significant. Argentina opens against Algeria on June 16, then faces Canada and Mexico in Group J. Messi's ability to enter the tournament at full fitness — rather than nursing a hamstring through the early rounds — could shape how Argentina approaches those first three matches and how much they ask of him as the tournament progresses.
Scaloni's message heading into the warmup window is straightforward: Messi is improving, the plan is flexible, and the decision on when he plays will be made based on what they see on the training pitch each day.
For now, that is about as much reassurance as Argentina fans could have reasonably hoped for.
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