"First news about Messi is not so bad", says Scaloni

"We have to wait." Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni preached patience when commenting on Lionel Messi's physical situation. The Inter Miami star suffered an injury and is worrying the delegation and fans ahead of the World Cup.

"We were watching the game at the training center and we realized that he asked to be substituted because he wasn't feeling well. The first news isn't that bad," he said, in an interview with Argentina's DS Sports. Scaloni's group will have friendlies against Honduras and Iceland before their World Cup debut against Algeria.

According to an official statement from Inter Miami, Messi presented an overload associated with muscle fatigue in the back of his left thigh, confirmed after medical examinations carried out last Monday (25).

On Sunday, the team beat Philadelphia Union, but the Argentine left the field in pain. The deadline for returning to activities depends on the player's clinical evolution.

"Of course, we would prefer that nothing had happened to him, but now we have to wait and see how he recovers, and, above all, for more tests to be carried out, to see if [the injury] is really as they say", added Scaloni.

Argentina in the World Cup
The Argentine team debuts in the World Cup against Algeria, on June 16, in Kansas, at 10 pm (Brasília time). Then, they face Austria, in Dallas, on the 22nd, at 2 pm, and finally, Jordan, also in the capital of Texas, at 11 pm.

The list of 55 pre-summoned players was released on the 11th. Check it out:

- Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martínez, Gerónimo Rulli, Juan Musso, Walter Benítez, Facundo Cambeses and Santiago Beltran;
- Defenders: Agustín Giay, Gonzalo Montiel, Nahuel Molina, Nicolás Capaldo, Kevin Mac Allister, Lucas Martinez Quarta, Marcos Senesi, Lisandro Martínez, Nicolás Otamendi, Germán Pezzella, Leonardo Balerdi, Cristian Romero, Lautaro di Lollo, Zaid Romero, Facundo Medina, Marcos Acuña, Nicolás Tagliafico and Gabriel Rojas; Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister, Giovani Lo Celso, Nicolás Domínguez, Emiliano Buendia, Valentín Barco, Lionel Messi, Nicolás Paz, Franco Mastantuono, Thiago Almada, Tomás Aranda, Nicolás González, Alejandro Garnacho, Giuliano Simeone, Matías Soulé, Claudio Echeverri and Gianluca Prestianni;
- Forwards: Santiago Castro, Lautaro Martínez, José Manuel López, Julián Álvarez and Mateo Pellegrino.

Generation 2026: in his last World Cup, Messi aims for a second consecutive championship

Source: CNN