Lionel Messi to play in Argentina’s final World Cup friendly vs Iceland, Scaloni confirms

Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has confirmed Lionel Messi will return to the pitch for the national team’s final pre-World Cup friendly against Iceland on June 10 at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Scaloni said Messi “is going to play” but added that how many minutes he will receive depends on the final training session and a discussion with the player — a cautious approach as Argentina complete their preparations ahead of the tournament opener on June 16 against Algeria.

Scaloni: "He is going to play"

Asked in his pre-match press conference whether Messi would start, Scaloni was direct: “He is going to play; what I don’t know is how many minutes. I still have to speak with him, we still have today’s training session. We will see how many minutes to avoid taking any kind of risk, and we will decide then. But in principle, yes, he will get minutes.” That will be Messi’s first appearance for Argentina since his injury sustained in the MLS match against Philadelphia Union on May 24, according to the report.

Why it matters

This will be Argentina’s final dress rehearsal before they begin their World Cup title defence. Getting Messi some game time is both a physical and psychological priority for La Albiceleste: it gives the team and the captain a chance to regain match sharpness while allowing Scaloni to evaluate workload management across the squad ahead of the June 16 opener against Algeria.

The wider fitness picture for Argentina

Scaloni confirmed that several other squad members arrived in North America carrying knocks and were on individualized recovery programmes. Right-backs Nahuel Molina and Gonzalo Montiel, and midfielder Nico Paz trained separately earlier in the week, but Scaloni said "in principle, all three are available for the match" with decisions on minutes to be taken after training. The coach also addressed two more concerning injuries: Julián Álvarez’s ankle sprain and Leandro Paredes’s muscle tear. Scaloni played down long-term alarm, saying Álvarez is “fine” and mostly working on getting back to 100%, while Paredes “will surely be able to rejoin the group in a few days” though the muscular issue may take longer.

Selection and rotation ahead of the World Cup

Scaloni indicated heavy rotation for the Iceland match compared to the side that faced Honduras, citing the need to manage workloads and avoid setbacks. That suggests Messi’s minutes will be carefully monitored and that other players will have opportunities to stake a claim before Argentina kick off their World Cup campaign.

• Messi will play in Argentina’s final pre-World Cup friendly against Iceland on June 10 at Jordan-Hare Stadium (kickoff in match_data: 2026-06-10T01:00:00+00:00).
• Scaloni confirmed Messi “is going to play” but said the number of minutes remains undecided and will be decided after training.
• Argentina will rotate heavily from the Honduras XI to manage workloads ahead of the World Cup opener vs Algeria on June 16.
• Right-backs Nahuel Molina and Gonzalo Montiel and midfielder Nico Paz trained away from the group but were reported as available in principle for the Iceland match.
• Julián Álvarez has an ankle sprain and is working to recover fully; Leandro Paredes has a muscle tear but Scaloni expects him to rejoin the group in a few days.

Tactical and squad implications

Messi’s inclusion, even for limited minutes, allows Scaloni to test attacking patterns and the balance of Argentina’s forward options under match conditions. The rotation Scaloni promised will give fringe players additional game time and allow the coaching staff to monitor recovery of those arriving with knocks, particularly in full-back areas where multiple options exist.

How Scaloni chooses to allocate minutes could also indicate his thinking for the opening phases of the tournament: whether he prioritises getting his core players fully match-fit or preserves them for the group-stage opener on June 16 against Algeria. The manager’s comments underline a conservative approach to risk ahead of the title defence.

What happens next

Decisions on Messi’s exact minutes and the starting XI will be finalised after Argentina’s training session immediately before the Iceland match. The friendly at Jordan-Hare Stadium serves as the last opportunity for competitive minutes before Argentina’s World Cup opener on June 16, and Scaloni has signalled he will prioritise workload management to avoid setbacks.

Fans can expect an Argentina team that mixes proven starters with rotated personnel as Scaloni balances the need for sharpness with the imperative to protect the squad ahead of the tournament.