▲ Lionel Messi in action
Superstar Lionel Messi, preparing for his sixth FIFA World Cup appearance, has dispelled concerns over a hamstring injury by scoring a penalty and delivering a "killer pass" in Argentina's final warm-up match.
The Argentina national football team defeated Iceland 3-0 in a friendly match held today (June 10) at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Alabama, USA.
Defending champion Argentina concluded its preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup by winning both of its June friendly matches (a 2-0 victory against Honduras and a 3-0 win against Iceland) as it aims for back-to-back titles.
Argentina has now won seven consecutive friendly matches since last October, keeping a "clean sheet" in six of them, maintaining a steep upward trend.
In the 2026 World Cup, Argentina is placed in Group J and will face Algeria, Austria, and Jordan in the group stage.
The hero of today's match was undoubtedly "Captain" Messi.
Messi began the match on the bench.
On May 25, during a 2026 Major League Soccer (MLS) regular season home match against Philadelphia Union at NU Stadium in Miami, Florida, Messi was substituted in the 73rd minute while the score was tied 4-4 and headed to the locker room.
Feeling discomfort in his left hamstring, Messi signaled to the bench to be replaced, and medical examinations revealed muscle fatigue and overload in the hamstring.
Messi, who was included in Argentina's final World Cup roster announced on May 29, rested during the friendly against Honduras on June 7 to focus on his recovery.
A crowd of 88,000 fans gathered at Jordan-Hare Stadium for today's match between Argentina and Iceland, with all eyes on Messi.
Although Messi started on the bench, Argentina took the lead in the 8th minute when Valentin Barco (Strasbourg) scored the opening goal with a left-footed shot from the left side of the penalty arc following a scramble in front of the goal.
After finishing the first half with a 1-0 lead, Argentina finally brought on Messi for Giuliano Simeone (Atletico Madrid) in the 70th minute, drawing cheers from the fans.
Messi made his presence felt as soon as he stepped onto the pitch.
In the 71st minute, Messi delivered a brilliant left-footed through ball from midfield. Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan) received the pass and was tripped by the opposing goalkeeper while rushing into the penalty area, leading the referee to award a penalty kick.
Just two minutes after entering the game, Messi stepped up as the penalty taker and scored with a left-footed shot, marking his 117th career international goal and his 911th goal overall.
In addition to creating the penalty, Messi also played a pivotal role in the final goal in the 86th minute.
Messi sent a through pass to his Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul, who was rushing into the right side of the penalty area. Thiago Almada (Atletico Madrid) then finished De Paul's cross with his left foot to seal the 3-0 victory.
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.