Tag: Lionel Scaloni

Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has provided a positive update on the fitness of their star player, Lionel Messi, ahead of the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 on Friday.

According to Scaloni, Messi has taken a step forward in his injury recovery and could play a few minutes in Argentina’s upcoming friendlies before their World Cup opener.

“Leo is doing well; he has already trained partly with the group, he’s no longer completely separated,” Scaloni said. “It’s possible he’ll play a few minutes in the friendlies. We’ll see whether that’s tomorrow’s game or the other one.”

Defending World Cup champions Argentina will take on Honduras in College Station, Texas, on Saturday and play Iceland on Tuesday in Auburn, Alabama.

“He’s much better, and that gives us peace of mind,” Scaloni said.

The medical staff of the Argentine national team has plenty of work, starting with their star Messi, who suffered a strain in his left hamstring in Inter Miami’s last match and was not expected to play against Honduras.

Scaloni also confirmed that goalkeeper Juan Musso, of Atletico Madrid, will start the game against Honduras at Kyle Field, given that his first-choice keeper, Emiliano Martinez, suffered a fracture in the ring finger of his right hand during the warm-up for the Europa League final.

Team medical staff has decided to hold him out of both friendlies, although Martinez should be available for the opener against Algeria.

Scaloni will also give minutes to debutant Santiago Beltran, the young River Plate goalkeeper called up for the friendlies.

In defense, right backs Nahuel Molina and Gonzalo Montiel are recovering from muscle tears, and the coaching staff has called up Agustin Giay and Nicolas Capaldo to replace them in the friendlies.

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Centre-back Cristian Romero is already training with the group after the knee sprain he suffered in April, although he comes in without match fitness.

Lionel Scaloni will have to decide whether to give him minutes or wait a few more days. Another case drawing scrutiny is that of Nicolas Paz, who is training separately after taking a heavy hit to his knee.

He has been ruled out for the Honduras game and will be cutting it close for the World Cup debut. Leandro Paredes and Julian Alvarez also arrived at Argentina’s camp in Kansas with physical issues.

Although they are improving, it is uncertain whether they will get any playing time in the warm-up matches.

“The situation is improving,” Scaloni said. “They’re fine, and we don’t want to risk them in these games, and the idea is surely that (the injured players) won’t take part in these friendlies.

“In this one (against Honduras), definitely not,” he added. “In the second, there might be a chance that one of them could play.”

Scaloni said the coming week will show “exactly where we stand.”

“For now everything is going quite well, and next week we’ll see,” he said.

Argentina are set to begin their World Cup campaign on June 16 against Algeria in Kansas City.

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Lionel Messi will start for Argentina in a friendly against Zambia on Tuesday in what is the reigning world champions’ final game on home soil before they defend their FIFA World Cup crown.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said Messi, who began on the bench for Friday’s lacklustre 2-1 win over Mauritania, will spearhead what is expected to be a full-strength side against Zambia.

“Messi will be in the starting lineup tomorrow,” Scaloni said.

Messi, 38, has not formally confirmed whether he plans to play in the 2025 World Cup, but he played a full part in Argentina’s qualification campaign for the finals.

Scaloni indicated that he expects Messi to be part of his squad for what would be the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner’s sixth World Cup appearance.

“The important thing is that he comes and enjoys being at a World Cup — which, theoretically, will be his last,” Scaloni said of Messi. “We want him to enjoy it, because later on, you really miss playing in events like these.”

Scaloni said Messi on Tuesday will be surrounded by the established core of the team, which topped South American qualifying, and that will start the World Cup among the favourites for the title.

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“Most of the players we know well will be playing. This will be the final test,” Scaloni said.

“Later, we’ll make some changes to take a look at some of the younger guys, but the idea is to field our most familiar lineup,” he said, emphasising that Friday’s scrappy win over Mauritania was not representative of his squad.

“I am convinced that the team’s performance level is not what we saw the other day,” Scaloni said. “If we see that the team isn’t quite there, we’ll look for other options. But they deserve a vote of confidence.”

Scaloni has already submitted a preliminary 55-player list to the Argentina Football Association, with the final 26-man squad to be confirmed at the end of May.

“I have the list pretty well figured out, but if performance levels aren’t up to par, we’ll take measures to ensure we bring the absolute best squad possible; we are striving for something as close to perfection as we can get,” he said.

“The players who have been with us for a while hold a slight advantage simply because we know them well; however, they have to maintain that advantage — and everyone knows what happened the other day (against Mauritania) cannot be repeated.”

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Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has confirmed that captain Lionel Messi is yet to make a final call on his participation in the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026, with just over 80 days remaining before the defending champions begin their title defence.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Scaloni made it clear that while he is keen to have Messi lead the side once again, the ultimate decision rests solely with the player.

“As far as I’m concerned, you already know where I stand,” Scaloni said.

“I’ll do everything I can to make sure he’s there. I believe that, for the sake of football, he has to be there. It’s not me who decides. It’s up to him, his state of mind, his physical condition.”

The Argentina boss stressed that Messi has earned the right to take his time and decide his international future without external pressure, adding that the team will respect whatever choice he makes.

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Messi, who captained Argentina to World Cup glory in 2022 and won the Golden Ball, remains the country’s all-time leading scorer with 115 international goals. His potential participation in the 2026 edition, set to be hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico, continues to be a major talking point in world football.

Scaloni also highlighted the global anticipation surrounding Messi’s decision, noting that fans across the world, not just in Argentina, are eager to see the iconic forward grace the tournament once again.

Despite the uncertainty over the World Cup, Messi is expected to feature in Argentina’s upcoming international friendlies against Mauritania and Zambia at the iconic La Bombonera, although it remains unclear whether he will start.

Meanwhile, a proposed Finalissima clash between Argentina and Spain in Qatar has been shelved due to the ongoing geopolitical situation in the Middle East.

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