Key facts
- Lionel Messi took part in an intense training session ahead of Argentina's FIFA World Cup opener.
- Messi converted a penalty in Argentina's recent friendly victory over Iceland.
- He expressed feeling great and eager to play freely after recovering from discomfort.
- Messi had previously missed a friendly match due to muscle fatigue.
Lionel Messi has engaged in an intensive training session as Argentina prepares for their FIFA World Cup opening match against Algeria. The star forward was seen focusing on running, spot kicks, and overall match readiness during the team's practice.
Messi appears poised to start in the crucial opener, having recently expressed satisfaction with his fitness and performance. This follows Argentina's comfortable victory in their last pre-World Cup friendly against Iceland, where Messi calmly converted a penalty after being introduced in the 70th minute.
Speaking to TyC Sports after the match, Messi shared his relief regarding his physical condition. "Enjoying it from the start, I was eager to play for a while since I arrived with this discomfort. Happy, enjoying every moment, and excited as always," he stated. He added, "I felt great, I was keen to get started and shake off the fears you have when you have this discomfort, to be able to play freely. We have a week to get everyone fit and ready for the opening match."
Earlier, Messi had missed Argentina's 2-0 friendly win against Honduras on June 6, despite participating in the warm-up, due to muscle fatigue in his left hamstring. This discomfort stemmed from a previous MLS fixture for Inter Miami before the league's pause for the World Cup.