Argentina began their first World Cup practice session June 1 at their base camp in Kansas City, Missouri, with Lionel Messi training alone due to muscle fatigue in his left hamstring sustained since May 24, 2026 [1, 2]. The 38-year-old forward, competing in his record sixth World Cup, is expected to be ready for Argentina's opener against Algeria on June 16 in Kansas City [1, 2]. Messi leads Argentina as their all-time appearance and goals record holder with 198 caps and 116 goals since his 2005 debut [1].
Several other players including Emiliano Martínez, Nico Paz, Leandro Paredes, Nico González, Thiago Almada, Gonzalo Montiel, and Nahuel Molina are also managing fitness concerns and conducted individual training sessions apart from the main squad [2]. Meanwhile, Cristian 'Cuti' Romero and Julián Álvarez have returned to full training after recovering from injuries and are expected to feature in upcoming matches [2].
Argentina, ranked third in the world at the time of practice, will face Iceland in a warm-up match on June 9 in Auburn, Alabama, before beginning their title defense against Algeria on June 16 [1, 2]. Additional friendly matches are scheduled against Austria on June 22 and Jordan on June 27, both in Arlington, Texas [2].
Argentina’s Football Association said players with minor injuries are working closely with the physiotherapy team on specific exercises and are making good progress [1, 2]. The team remains focused on regaining full fitness ahead of the tournament kickoff.
The next key event in Argentina’s World Cup schedule is their warm-up match against Iceland on June 9, providing a final test before the tournament opener against Algeria a week later [1, 2].
