Lionel Messi Shines in Argentina's 3-0 Victory Over Iceland
Lionel Messi needed barely a heartbeat to turn a routine friendly into his own stage.
Argentina were already in control against Iceland in Auburn, Alabama, but when the 38-year-old stepped off the bench on 70 minutes, the evening shifted. One touch, one threaded pass, one clumsy challenge on Lautaro Martinez, and the referee pointed to the spot. Seconds later, Messi lashed the penalty into the roof of the net, his 117th international goal, and Argentina’s World Cup dress rehearsal was effectively signed off.
The world champions walked away with a 3-0 win. More importantly, they walked away unscathed.
Messi’s brief, ruthless cameo
Messi had skipped the first friendly against Honduras as he nursed left hamstring soreness, the same issue that forced him off in Inter Miami’s final game before the World Cup break on May 24. Any lingering concern evaporated the moment he glided onto the pitch.
His first act was pure Messi: a slide-rule throughball that sliced open Iceland’s back line and released Lautaro Martinez. Goalkeeper Elias Olafsson came flying out, mistimed everything, and wiped the striker out. Penalty.
Messi stepped up, paused, and hammered the ball high into the net. No easing his way back. No gentle warm-up. Just a reminder, in front of an 88,000-strong crowd, that he remains Argentina’s sharpest weapon heading into yet another World Cup — his sixth, a record he will share with Cristiano Ronaldo.
He wasn’t done. For Argentina’s third, he drifted into space, saw the run, and slipped a pass into Rodrigo De Paul’s path. De Paul squared, Thiago Almada tapped in. Simple on the eye, ruthless in execution.
Scaloni experiments, Barco seizes his moment
Before Messi’s entrance, this was Lionel Scaloni’s laboratory.
With Messi, Julian Alvarez, Enzo Fernandez and Alexis Mac Allister all starting on the bench, the coach rolled out an experimental XI and asked a few fringe names to make their case. Some did. Some didn’t.
Iceland should have silenced the packed stands early when Mikael Egill Ellertsson found himself staring at an open goal and blazed over. It was a let-off, and Argentina punished it.
From a scrambled Iceland clearance inside the box, the ball dropped invitingly to Strasbourg defender Valentin Barco. He didn’t hesitate, drilling a low shot into the bottom corner to give Argentina the lead and stamp his name on the night.
Nico Paz, by contrast, let his big chance slip. Given room to impress in Messi’s absence, he surged into the box before half-time and unleashed a fierce effort, only to see Olafsson block it with his face. It summed up his evening: lively, but without the decisive touch that might have changed Scaloni’s mind.
At the interval, Scaloni turned the dial. Fernandez and Mac Allister came on among five changes, adding control and familiarity to the midfield. Lautaro Martinez also entered and twice rattled the post when he should have buried the game long before Messi’s cameo. The misses kept Iceland interested, but only just.
The crowd, though, wanted one thing. When Messi finally peeled off his training top and walked to the touchline in the final quarter, the roar told its own story. This was a friendly in name only; for many in Alabama, it was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see the greatest of his era up close. He gave them exactly what they came for.
Iraq stumble as Venezuela strike early
While Argentina polished their credentials, Iraq endured a sobering night in Bridgeville, Illinois.
In their final warm-up before a first World Cup appearance in 40 years, they fell 2-0 to Venezuela and finished with 10 men. For a side hoping to ride a wave of emotion into the tournament, this was a sharp reminder of the level they are about to face.
Cristian Casseres set the tone in the 17th minute, pouncing in the box and finishing from close range to put Venezuela ahead. Right after half-time, he turned provider. Winning the ball in midfield, Casseres released Jesus Ramirez, who drove at a defender, skipped past him, and unleashed a powerful shot to double the lead.
Iraq’s night worsened in the 72nd minute when forward Ali Youssef received a straight red card, leaving them to close out the match a man down and with little hope of a response.
They now head to the World Cup finals for the first time since their lone appearance four decades ago, opening Group I against Norway on June 17 before facing France and Senegal. Argentina, by contrast, leave the United States with their star fit, their depth tested, and a familiar question hanging over the tournament:
With Messi in this mood, who can stop them?
