Lionel Scaloni gives positive update on Lionel Messi fitness ahead of FIFA World Cup

Lionel Messi is recovering well from a recent muscle injury and could feature in Argentina’s final World Cup warm-up matches, according to head coach Lionel Scaloni.

The 38-year-old forward sustained a muscle strain while playing for Inter Miami during a 6-4 Major League Soccer victory over Philadelphia Union 10 days ago, sparking concerns over his fitness ahead of the tournament.

Reigning world champions Argentina are set to face Honduras in Texas on Saturday, before meeting Iceland in Alabama on Tuesday in their final friendly fixtures before the World Cup.

Scaloni offered an encouraging update on the captain’s condition, highlighting his return to group training.

"Leo is doing well, he's already trained with the group for part of the session, and that's significant. He's no longer training separately," Scaloni said at a press conference in the United States.

"He is improving a lot and could even take part in one of the (warm-up) matches for a few minutes. We'll see whether it's this one or the next, but he's much better and that gives us peace of mind."

Messi, who is preparing for a record sixth World Cup appearance, remains central to Argentina’s plans as they aim to defend their title.

Messi, widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, captained Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar in 2022.

The tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada runs from June 11 to July 19, with Argentina opening their campaign against Algeria on June 16.