Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni addressed Lionel Messi’s physical condition following his recent injury with Inter Miami and detailed how the staff plans to manage his minutes during the 2026 World Cup. Lionel Messi sparked concern across Argentina after being forced off due to injury during Inter Miami’s victory over Philadelphia. The physical setback comes just two weeks before the Argentina national team is scheduled to open its 2026 World Cup Group J campaign against Algeria on Tuesday, June 16.
Speaking in an interview with Diario Olé, Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni provided an update on the national team captain, noting that the Inter Miami forward concluded his club season dealing with discomfort in his right hamstring.
Consequently, Messi’s availability for Argentina’s upcoming pre-World Cup friendlies against Honduras and Iceland remains uncertain. Scaloni detailed the cautious approach the coaching staff will implement regarding his minutes in North America.
“Every decision we’ve made, we’ve discussed with him,” Scaloni said regarding their communication. “It’s pointless for me to sit here and say that I make the calls alone. In his case—and I believe he has earned it—I am always going to talk to him, ask how he feels, and we find common ground“.
Already locked in for work 💼🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/5SYVGJkbln— Selección Argentina in English (@AFASeleccionEN) June 2, 2026
The manager indicated that the current strategy is to evaluate Messi on a day-to-day basis, monitoring his physical progression match by match before making joint decisions on what is best for his health.
“These are decisions you make by looking at the day-to-day reality,” Scaloni concluded. “It’s useless to say right now that we have a rigid plan, because if he is flying on the pitch, that plan goes out the window. The real plan is to manage him gradually, see how he responds, gauge his sensations, and then make our decisions based on that”.
Messi projected to miss friendlies Argentina’s friendlies
In an effort to ensure he reaches the group stage opener against Algeria in peak condition, Messi is currently training separately from the main squad. He will gradually increase his workload to avoid aggravating the hamstring discomfort sustained during Inter Miami’s final MLS fixture against Philadelphia.
As a result, the Argentina captain is highly unlikely to feature in the warm-up matches against Honduras and Iceland, scheduled for June 6 and June 9, respectively.
With the captain sidelined for the friendlies, his spot in the attacking rotation could be filled by Atletico Madrid forward Thiago Almada or Como 1907 midfielder Nico Paz, though the latter’s availability is also pending evaluation for a minor knee issue.