Argentina’s national team manager, Lionel Scaloni, stated that Lionel Messi is recovering from muscle fatigue in his left hamstring as the team prepares for their World Cup debut on June 16.
The 38-year-old forward suffered the injury on May 25 during his final match with Inter Miami before joining the national squad.
“Leo is doing well,” Scaloni mentioned on Friday. “He participated in part of the training with the team, which is encouraging. He’s not completely separate from the group; he’s making progress. He might play in our upcoming friendly matches and gain some minutes. We’ll assess whether it’s in tomorrow’s game or the next. His improvement brings us some peace of mind.”
Argentina is set to play against Honduras on Saturday at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas, followed by a match against Iceland in Auburn, Alabama on Tuesday as they finalize their preparations for the World Cup.
Meanwhile, players Leandro Paredes, Nahuel Molina, Nico Paz, and Gonzalo Montiel are currently training separately as they recover from injuries.
Scaloni noted, “The players training apart are improving. We were aware of their situations when we submitted the roster. They’re okay, but we prefer not to risk them for these friendlies. We definitely don’t want them to play in this first match. Perhaps someone may participate in the next one, but that’s our current stance.”
He also emphasized that the team is prepared to make necessary adjustments to the 26-man World Cup roster if any player is unable to participate due to injury.
Scaloni remarked, “Injuries can happen. Right now, we feel positive about how the players are doing, but we are clear that if any of them are not fit to play, they will be omitted. We are monitoring their progress closely, especially as we approach the final week leading up to the tournament to determine if they are at 100%. It will be tough if any player has to be left out.”
Argentina will kick off their title defense against Algeria on June 16 in Kansas City, followed by matches against Austria and Jordan in Group J.