Scaloni says Messi is training with Argentina squad and could feature in warm-up matches

Lionel Messi could feature in Argentina’s pre-World Cup friendlies after coach Lionel Scaloni confirmed the 38-year-old has rejoined group training following a muscle strain sustained during Inter Miami’s 6-4 MLS victory over Philadelphia Union ten days ago.

Scaloni, speaking at a press conference in the United States, said Messi’s recovery had progressed to the point where a brief appearance in one of Argentina’s remaining warm-up fixtures was possible. The reigning world champions face Honduras in Texas on Saturday before meeting Iceland in Alabama on Tuesday.

“Leo is doing well, he’s already trained with the group for part of the session, and that’s significant. He’s no longer training separately,” Scaloni said. “He is improving a lot and could even take part in one of the warm-up matches for a few minutes. We’ll see whether it’s this one or the next, but he’s much better and that gives us peace of mind.”

Messi is preparing to appear at his sixth World Cup. Argentina open their title defence against Algeria on 16 June before facing Austria and Jordan in Group J.

Scaloni also offered a lighthearted account of informing Messi of his squad selection. “I sent him a message and he told me he would wait for the squad list to see if he had been called up,” the coach said with a smile. “I told him, ‘You’re called up.’ That’s how it happened.”

Messi captained Argentina to the World Cup title in Qatar in 2022 and remains central to the squad’s ambitions of defending that trophy in the United States, Canada, and Mexico this summer.