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Argentina kicks off its world title defense on Saturday with a pre-tournament friendly against Honduras in Texas, though uncertainty continues to surround the availability of Lionel Messi.
La Albiceleste are considered strong contenders for the upcoming World Cup hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico, with ambitions of becoming the first team to claim consecutive titles since Brazil achieved the feat in 1962. Building momentum ahead of the tournament could be crucial to their chances.
Lionel Scaloni will be looking for a strong showing from his world champions against Honduras at Kyle Field this weekend, particularly given that the Central American side failed to secure a spot at this summer's North American tournament.
However, Argentina's inspirational captain and attacking talisman Messi could sit out the first of the two scheduled friendlies.
Will Lionel Messi Play Against Honduras?
Concerns have been mounting in Argentina over Messi's physical condition, with the superstar dealing with left hamstring fatigue over recent weeks. The Inter Miami forward last featured on May 25, contributing two assists in a remarkable 6–4 win over Philadelphia Union.
Despite the lingering discomfort in his leg, Messi was predictably named in Scaloni's squad for the World Cup, joining teammates Nico Paz, Nahuel Molina, Gonzalo Montiel and Leandro Paredes in managing fitness concerns ahead of the competition.
While Messi has always been expected to be fit for Argentina's World Cup opener against Algeria on June 16, questions have lingered over whether he'll be available for the warm-up friendlies against Honduras and Iceland.
The eight-time Ballon d'Or holder had been working individually to rebuild his fitness, though his recent reintegration into full group training has led to an encouraging injury update from Scaloni ahead of the Honduras match.
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Lionel Scaloni Offered Major Injury Boost
"Leo is in good shape," Scaloni told the media on Friday. "Leo trained with the group for a portion of the session, which is a positive sign. He's not completely separated from the squad; he's progressing well.
"He could feature in the friendlies, getting some minutes across these two games. We'll see whether it's tomorrow's match or the following one. But he's improving significantly and that gives us peace of mind."
Scaloni has up to 24 hours before the Algeria opener to swap out injured players from his roster, with the Argentina manager making clear he won't hesitate to make tough calls when necessary.
"It can happen [replacing players]," said the 48-year-old. "Right now we feel the players are in good condition, but what we're absolutely certain of is that if any one of them isn't available, they'll be left behind.
"We're clear on that. For now they're doing well, but we've been keeping a close eye on them. When the critical phase arrives — that final week where they need to push harder to prove they're fully fit — that's when we'll make our call, even if it's a painful one to leave someone out."
Messi will undoubtedly be eager to get some game time against Honduras and/or Iceland in order to find his rhythm before the tournament gets underway.