According to head coach Lionel Scaloni, Lionel Messi has recovered from his injury and is ready to take the pitch with the Argentina national team at the 2026 World Cup.
Recently, Lionel Messi has been undergoing treatment for a left hamstring injury sustained while playing for Inter Miami on May 25. Many feared this setback could cause El Pulga to miss the 2026 World Cup.
However, coach Lionel Scaloni delivered good news, stating that Messi has recovered earlier than expected. The superstar might even feature in Argentina’s pre-World Cup friendly matches.
“Messi’s injury is progressing well,” the Argentine manager stated. “He has been training with the squad. This is very important. He hasn’t been completely separated from the team and is making an impressive recovery.”
“Messi might play a few minutes in Argentina’s two upcoming friendlies. We will see if he plays in tomorrow’s match (against Honduras) or the next one. Regardless, the positive progress of Messi’s injury brings peace of mind to the entire team.”
At 7:00 AM on June 7, Argentina will play a friendly against Honduras in Texas (USA). A few days later, they will face Iceland in Alabama (USA).
Currently, La Albiceleste has four players training individually due to injuries: Leandro Paredes, Nahuel Molina, Nico Paz, and Gonzalo Montiel. Scaloni added: “The players training separately are also progressing well. When we submitted the official list, we anticipated this situation. They will not participate in tomorrow’s friendlies but could absolutely return for the following match.”
Scaloni also affirmed he would not hesitate to replace any injured player in the 26-man World Cup squad if necessary. He noted: “That is entirely possible. Today, we feel the players are in good shape, but if anyone fails to recover in time, they could be dropped from the roster.” At the 2026 World Cup, Argentina is drawn into a group alongside Algeria, Austria, and Jordan.
