Argentina has received an incredibly massive double boost just days before kicking off their 2026 FIFA World Cup title defense in North America. Head coach Lionel Scaloni has confirmed that talismanic captain Lionel Messi will return to action during Tuesday’s final pre-tournament friendly against Iceland at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Alabama.
The 38-year-old maestro has been out of action since May 24 after sustaining left hamstring muscle fatigue while on club duty with Inter Miami. While Messi sat out Argentina’s recent 2-0 friendly victory over Honduras as a precautionary measure, Scaloni revealed that the legendary forward will definitely see the pitch on Tuesday, though his workload will be closely managed to mitigate risks ahead of the official games. The match will provide vital competitive fitness as Messi prepares to make history as one of the first players to compete in six separate World Cup tournaments.
Further sweetening the news for the reigning world champions is the official return of young midfielder Nico Paz. The 21-year-old Como phenom successfully completed his first full group training session since joining the national team camp, fully recovering from a left knee injury that has kept him sidelined since May 10. Heavily tipped to step directly into Messi’s orbit as a key creative partner during the tournament, Paz’s availability provides immense tactical peace of mind for the coaching staff.
Additionally, experienced right-backs Nahuel Molina and Gonzalo Montiel have both successfully returned to full training after overcoming respective muscle issues. While starting goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez continues to train separately to nurse a finger fracture, the squad’s overall health trend is pointing significantly upward. With all eyes locked on their highly anticipated Group stage opener against Algeria on June 16, Argentina is rapidly assembling its heavy artillery to defend their global crown in absolute style.
