Argentina continue their preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a friendly against Honduras at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas. As the defending world champions fine-tune their squad ahead of their tournament opener against Algeria on June 16, much of the attention remains focused on the fitness of Lionel Messi.
As of the latest update from coach Lionel Scaloni, Lionel Messi is not guaranteed to start against Honduras, but he could feature during the match if the coaching staff believes his recovery remains on track.
Scaloni confirmed that Messi has already resumed partial training with the group and is progressing well from his hamstring issue. “Leo is doing well. Leo trained for a part with the group, which is important. He’s not fully separated; he’s coming along. He may be part of the friendly matches, getting some minutes in these two friendlies. We’ll see if it’s the one tomorrow or the next one. But he’s doing a lot better and that gives us tranquility,” Scaloni said, according to ESPN.
With Argentina scheduled to face Iceland in a second friendly next week, head coach Lionel Scaloni has several decisions to make regarding player workloads. Recent reports have indicated that Lionel Messi follows recovery plan ahead of 2026 World Cup opener, while discussions around the captain continue to dominate headlines. Former teammate Angel Di Maria explained why he thinks Messi is better than Cristiano Ronaldo, but for now the focus is entirely on Messi’s availability for Argentina’s final tune-up matches.
Lionel Messi #10 participates during a team Argentina training session at Sporting KC Training Centre. Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Messi’s recovery closely monitored ahead of World Cup opener
The Argentine captain joined the national team camp after dealing with muscle fatigue in his left hamstring, an issue that surfaced during his final appearance for Inter Miami before the international break. Since then, the coaching staff has carefully monitored his recovery while balancing the need to keep him fresh for the World Cup.
Based on those comments, Messi remains a game-time decision. Even if he doesn’t start against Honduras, there is a realistic possibility that he could see limited minutes off the bench as Argentina continues preparing for the defense of their World Cup title.
SurveyWill Lionel Messi play against Honduras?
Will Lionel Messi play against Honduras?
ALREADY VOTED 0 PEOPLE
