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Messi rested in training ahead of Argentina-England semi-final

The day after Argentina's grueling victory over Switzerland, Lionel Messi and several senior players were given a rest day during the collective training session. At 39 years old, the Albiceleste captain is the fifth most-used player in this World Cup with 530 minutes played.

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Messi rested in training ahead of Argentina-England semi-final
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Lionel Messi did not take part in Argentina’s collective training session the day after their victory over Switzerland in the World Cup 2026 quarter-final. Several other senior Albiceleste players were also rested, according to L’Équipe, to recover ahead of the semi-final.

Argentina’s path so far has been particularly demanding. As defending champions, Lionel Scaloni’s side were pushed to the limit by Cape Verde, Egypt and then Switzerland, three teams that forced the world champions to battle hard for qualification.

At 39 years old, Messi is the fifth player to have played the most minutes in this edition of the tournament, with 530 minutes to his name. That is fifteen minutes more than Kylian Mbappé, and ten fewer than his teammate Alexis Mac Allister, who has also been heavily relied upon.

Argentina will face England on Wednesday at 9 p.m. in Atlanta for a place in the final. The match inevitably recalls the historic confrontations between the two nations, notably at the 1986 World Cup and the role Diego Maradona played in it. If they qualify, the Argentines will play the final on Sunday, July 19, where they could face France or Spain.

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