Lionel Messi swiftly scored upon his return from an injury concern as Argentina triumphed over Iceland 3-0 in their final World Cup warm-up match held in Auburn, Alabama on Tuesday. The renowned player began the game on the bench as he continues his gradual recovery from a muscle fatigue issue suffered during a previous match on May 24.
During the game, Messi was accompanied on the bench by Julian Alvarez, Enzo Fernandez, and Alexis Mac Allister, as coach Lionel Scaloni opted for an experimental lineup in front of a massive 88,000-strong audience. Despite concerns about Messi’s readiness for the upcoming tournament, he showcased his form with an impressive 20-minute cameo appearance.
Argentina, aiming for their sixth World Cup appearance, is scheduled to kick off their campaign against Algeria on June 16, followed by matches against Austria and Jordan in Group J. In an intense start to the game, Iceland missed an early opportunity to score as Mikael Egill Ellertsson failed to convert with an open goal.
The three-time world champions capitalized on the missed chance by taking an early lead through Valentin Barco’s strike after a goalmouth scramble. Despite Nico Paz’s efforts to extend the lead before halftime, Iceland’s goalkeeper Elias Olafsson denied his powerful shot to keep the score close.
Several changes were made by the Argentine team at halftime, including the introduction of Fernandez and Mac Allister. Lautaro Martinez, who entered the game at halftime, hit the post twice in missed opportunities to secure a larger lead for Argentina.
Fans had to wait until the final phase of the match for Messi to take the field. In a decisive moment, Messi’s precise pass set up Martinez, who was fouled by Olafsson as he narrowly missed a scoring chance. Messi then confidently scored his 117th international goal in his 199th appearance for the national team.
Messi played a crucial role in Argentina’s third goal by providing an assist to Rodrigo De Paul, who passed to Thiago Almada for a simple tap-in, sealing the 3-0 victory for Argentina.