Defending champions Argentina have begun their FIFA World Cup 2026 preparations in Kansas City, but star forward Lionel Messi was conspicuously absent from the squad’s first training session. The 38-year-old trained separately in Missouri, managing muscle fatigue in his left hamstring — a concern that has lingered since late May. Argentina’s Football Association confirmed Messi and a handful of other players worked on “specific exercises” with the physiotherapy team and are making good progress.
Fit and ready for June 16 opener
Despite the precautionary approaach, Messi is expected to be fully fit for Argentina’s group stage opener against Algeria on June 16 at Kansas City. The squad will also play a final warm-up fixture against Iceland on June 9 in Auburn, Alabama, giving coaching staff ample time to assess his condition before the tournament begins in earnest. Argentina, ranked third in the world, will be eager to defend the title they claimed so dramatically in Qatar.
For Messi, this is a record sixth World Cup appearance — a landmark he shares with long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo. Argentina’s captain holds 198 international caps and 116 goals, and with 26 World Cup matches to his name, he is the outright record holder for most appearances at the tournament. He arrives in the United States as both a champion and a living monument to the sport.
Last chance for Messi vs Ronaldo on the biggest stage
Perhaps the most compelling storyline of the tournament hangs on a hypothetical that football fans have awaited for two decades: Messi versus Ronaldo at a World Cup. The two greatest players of their generation have never met at the global showpiece, but that could change in 2026. Should both Argentina and Portugal win their respective groups and advance, they would meet in the round of 16 — almost certainly the last opportunity for either man to share the pitch at a World Cup. Ronaldo, yet to score a single knockout-stage goal, will be desperate to finally deliver when it matters most.