Syndicated reporting provided by Stats Perform and reviewed by the SoccerNews editorial team.
Lionel Messi insisted he “felt great” after coming off the bench to score in Argentina’s friendly victory over Iceland and said he is “savouring every moment” of their World Cup preparations.
Messi fired home from the penalty spot as the Albiceleste eased to victory in Alabama on Tuesday, making it two wins from two friendlies ahead of their title defence.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner started on the bench, having been out of action since suffering a muscle injury while representing Inter Miami in MLS last month.
But within 118 seconds of coming on, Messi played Lautaro Martinez through to draw a foul from Elias Olafsson, then smashed the resulting spot-kick into the top-right corner.
Messi, alongside Portugal icon Cristiano Ronaldo and Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, could appear at a record-breaking sixth edition of the World Cup.
And he played down any fears over his condition after full-time at Jordan-Hare Stadium, saying: “I’ve been enjoying it from the start.
“I’m happy, savouring every moment and excited as ever. I felt great. I’d been keen to play for a while, having been carrying that niggle since I arrived.
“I was eager to get going and shake off the lingering fears you have when you’re carrying an injury, so I could play freely. We’ve got a week left to get everyone fit and ready for the opener.”
118 – Lionel Messi within 118 seconds of coming on against Iceland (subbed on 69:04):
69:57 – First touch by Messi
70:01 – Successful through ball by Messi
70:04 – Argentina penalty (GK foul after 1v1)
71:02 – Penalty converted by Messi
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) June 10, 2026
The Opta supercomputer makes Argentina fourth favourites to win the World Cup, with a 10% probability. Spain (16%), France (12.9%) and England (10.8%) are more fancied.
Messi holds the all-time record for most World Cup appearances, with 26 matches played, while he needs four goals at this tournament to surpass Miroslav Klose as the tournament’s all-time leading scorer, with 13 goals to his name at present.
During Argentina’s victorious campaign in 2022, he scored or assisted 10 of his team’s 15 goals (seven goals, three assists), and he sees the same hunger in their camp as he did four years ago.
“We have a lot of hope, as always, whenever a competition begins, especially a World Cup,” he said.
“It’s a real winning team that always wants more. We’ll take it step by step, as always, but with great enthusiasm, hope and conviction in what we’re capable of.
“This group deserves everything that’s happening to us. We’re going to give it our all, just as we always have; let there be no doubt in anyone’s mind that we’ll give it our all, just as we’ve been doing all this time.
“Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t, but we’ve been fortunate enough to have positive results in recent years. Have no doubt that our opponents will find it hard to beat us, because this is a very competitive national team.”
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