The Format Changes The Workload
Argentina won 2-0 at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas, on Saturday in their penultimate friendly before the World Cup kicks off June 11. Lionel Messi watched from the bench the entire match as he recovers from muscle fatigue sustained May 25 during his final Inter Miami appearance.
Lautaro Martínez converted a penalty in the 37th minute after Nicolás Tagliafico was clumsily tripped inside the box. Giuliano Simeone doubled the lead early in the second half, finishing from close range after a clever backheel from Martínez set him up clean in front of goal.
The list looks clean on paper; the hard part is everything that happens after it is printed.
"We have to go defend what we achieved in Qatar. It's going to be tough, but we're going to give it everything to leave Argentina as high as possible," Martínez said post-match.
The Map Gets Bigger
Coach Lionel Scaloni made several substitutions after Simeone's goal but kept Messi seated. "When Argentines step onto a soccer field, it's very hard for them to hold back," Scaloni said. "They always give everything. That's why we manage the workloads and try to give minutes to the majority." Team medical staff have said Messi's recovery timeline will depend on his clinical and functional progress.
Argentina opens Group J play against Algeria on June 16, then faces Austria and Jordan. Their final tune-up comes June 9 against Iceland.
Messi carries the record for most World Cup matches (26) and sits four goals shy of Germany's Miroslav Klose's tournament record of 16. The 38-year-old is widely expected to retire from international soccer after this summer's tournament.
The Numbers Tell The Story
It's telling that the defending champions played a full friendly without their centerpiece and still had enough to cruise. Whether that depth holds up against stiffer competition is the question that will define the group stage.