Messi Minutes To Be Carefully Managed As Argentina Seek To Avoid Risks Ahead Of World Cup

Lionel Messi is expected to feature in Argentina's final World Cup warm-up against Iceland, with Lionel Scaloni planning to use the game to sharpen the captain's rhythm while still managing fitness concerns after recent muscle fatigue with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.

Scaloni confirmed that Messi had been handled carefully in earlier preparation, including remaining on the bench throughout the 2-0 victory over Honduras, yet the coaching staff now view the Iceland friendly on Tuesday as a controlled chance to give minutes before the title defence begins.

Messi suffered muscle fatigue in Inter Miami's last MLS match before the World Cup break and left the pitch as a precaution, then joined Argentina's squad as planned, though staff limited his workload in the build-up and monitored training data closely across recent sessions.

Asked about Messi's role against Iceland, Scaloni outlined a flexible plan. "Messi will play, I just don't know how many minutes," Scaloni said in a news conference on Monday. "I still need to talk to him in training, and we will see how many minutes he plays to avoid any type of risks. We will decide, but in principle, he will play. We're going to distribute the minutes of the players who will play to try to avoid any mishaps."

Messi is not the only medical focus in the Argentina World Cup squad, with Scaloni reporting that Nico Paz, Nahuel Molina and Gonzalo Montiel are now available after completing separate rehabilitation programmes, and they have rejoined collective work following different injury setbacks.

There was further positive news about other key players' recovery timelines. "Julian Alvarez is doing well; he has an ankle discomfort that's going away," Scaloni added. "Lea Paredes is also coming along well. In the next few days, he'll be able to rejoin the group." These updates ease earlier concerns about attacking and midfield depth.

Defensive resources remain under review after Leonardo Balerdi was ruled out of the tournament before the Honduras match, leaving Scaloni to assess cover options. "We'll have a clearer picture after the match regarding his replacement," Scaloni said. "We can cover Balerdi's position, but we are also looking at other options depending on how the rest of the injured players progress."

Argentina will use the Iceland game as their final checkpoint before the World Cup opener against Algeria on June 16, followed by group fixtures with Austria and Jordan in Group J, meaning medical decisions over Messi and the wider squad must balance immediate sharpness with longer-term availability.