Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has confirmed that defending World Cup champions Argentina are managing injuries to at least seven players, including captain Lionel Messi, with less than three weeks to go before their title defence opens against Algeria on June 16 in Kansas City.
Messi left during Inter Miami’s 6-4 win over the Philadelphia Union on Sunday in the 73rd minute, grabbing the back of his leg and asking to be substituted, then heading straight to the locker room in what was his club’s final match before the World Cup break.
Inter Miami subsequently confirmed that the 38-year-old is dealing with an overload associated with muscle fatigue in his left hamstring, with his return to activity dependent on his clinical and functional progress.
Scaloni addressed the situation in a Tuesday interview with Argentine broadcaster DSports, adopting a cautious but measured tone. He said the initial updates on Messi are not entirely bad, adding that the squad must wait to see how Messi evolves, pending the results of further tests.
The coach made clear, however, that the injury picture extends far beyond his captain.
“It’s not just him; many players have yet to fully recover from injuries. Our main priority now is their rehabilitation to ensure they reach the World Cup in peak condition,” Scaloni said.
Among the other players currently under evaluation are goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, defender Cristian Romero, fullbacks Nahuel Molina of Atletico Madrid and Gonzalo Montiel from River Plate, who are both managing muscle injuries, midfielder Nico Paz who missed Como’s final Serie A match with a knee problem, and Nicolas Gonzalez who is working through recovery from a muscle tear.
Messi turns 39 on June 25, which falls during the group stage, and is set to appear at his sixth World Cup, a record he would share with Cristiano Ronaldo and Guillermo Ochoa. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is widely expected to be included in Argentina’s 26-man squad, with Scaloni’s squad deadline set for June 1.
Argentina’s preliminary preparations are already under way, with several players reporting to the Ezeiza training complex in Buenos Aires before the delegation flies to Kansas City on June 1 to open their World Cup base camp.
Scaloni’s staff has started looking at contingency options, with friendlies against Honduras and Iceland still scheduled before the tournament begins.
Argentina were drawn into Group J alongside Algeria, Austria and Jordan, and enter the summer as defending champions aiming to become the first nation to win consecutive World Cups since Brazil in 1962. Their group opener against Algeria will be followed by a June 22 match against Austria and a June 27 meeting with Jordan.
Since joining Inter Miami in 2023, Messi has missed 30 matches for club and country due to injuries, including a lengthy absence after suffering an ankle problem during the 2024 Copa America final. The pattern means Argentina’s medical staff have experience managing his workload, though the timing of this latest issue, with no buffer matches remaining before the tournament, leaves no room for further setbacks.
