AUBURN, Ala. — Lionel Messi needed just 20 minutes to remind everyone why Argentina leans on him for its World Cup hopes. The captain came off the bench in the 70th minute, converted a penalty two minutes later, and guided Argentina to a 3-0 victory over Iceland in their final tune-up match.
The goal was his 117th for the national team—a record that hardly requires decoration. Messi had been recovering from muscle fatigue and a slight left hamstring strain sustained with Inter Miami on May 24, the kind of injury timeline that turns roster planning into calendar management.
Argentina will open its World Cup campaign against Algeria on June 16 in Kansas City, grouping with Austria and Jordan in Group J. The team seeks its fourth title, adding to victories in 1978, 1986, and 2022.
This was the second meeting between the nations. The first came at the 2018 World Cup, when Iceland earned a 1-1 draw against Argentina—with Messi himself missing a penalty that day. He did not miss this time.