Lionel Messi Resting any lingering concerns about his fitness on Tuesday, he marked his return from injury with a goal as Argentina beat Iceland 3-0 in their final warm-up match. FIFA World Cup 2026.The Argentina captain, who was ruled out on May 24 after suffering muscle fatigue and a minor left hamstring strain while playing for Inter Miami, was not in danger from the start. Instead, head coach Lionel Scaloni introduced the experienced forward in the 70th minute as Argentina looked to finalize their World Cup preparations.Just two minutes into the match, the 38-year-old stepped up to take a penalty when Lautaro Martinez was brought down inside the box. Showing no signs of discomfort, Messi confidently sent a powerful left-footed effort into the net to extend Argentina’s lead.See:The goal was another milestone for the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, who is Argentina’s all-time top scorer with 117 international goals. More importantly for the reigning world champions, it provided further evidence that their talisman is fit and ready for the world’s biggest tournament. Football.Appearances also matter as Messi prepares for his sixth FIFA World Cup. The Argentinian icon, who turns 39 this weekend, is playing a central role for the national team almost two decades after making his World Cup debut.Argentina enter the tournament aiming to defend the title they won in Qatar in 2022 and claim a fourth World Cup crown overall, having previously won in 1978 and 1986.Their campaign begins on June 16 against Algeria in Kansas City. Austria and Jordan complete Group J.Tuesday’s victory also offered a measure of redemption against Iceland. The two countries last met at the 2018 World Cup, when Iceland surprisingly earned a 1-1 draw and Messi missed a penalty. However, this time the Argentina captain made no mistake with the opportunity as he made a successful comeback ahead of football’s biggest stage.
