Messi Trains Separately as Argentina Prepares for Sixth World Cup
The World Cup holders stepped onto American soil together. Lionel Messi did not quite do the same.
As Argentina opened their pre-tournament camp in Kansas City, Missouri, the captain cut a slightly separate figure on Monday, working away from the main group as he manages muscle fatigue in his left hamstring.
No alarms, no drama. Just careful management of a 38-year-old body that has carried a nation for nearly two decades.
Messi has been dealing with the issue since May 24, a reminder that even the two-time MLS MVP and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner now moves on a different physical clock. Argentina’s medical staff, though, remain calm. The expectation inside the camp is that he will be ready for the World Cup opener against Algeria on June 16, also in Kansas City.
At their U.S. base, the Inter Miami star joined up with the rest of the squad but peeled away for what the federation described as “specific exercises” on the pitch. He was not alone. Several teammates nursing minor problems followed similar tailored routines, under the close eye of Argentina’s physiotherapy team.
“The players who are suffering from niggles and injuries continue to work with the physiotherapy team on specific exercises on the pitch and are making good progress,” the Argentine Football Association said, underlining the sense of control rather than concern.
Around them, the defending champions began to shift from club mode to national duty. This is a group ranked number three in the world, yet still training with the edge of a team that knows how hard it is to stay at the top once you get there.
The schedule is tight but deliberate. Argentina will play their final tune-up match against Iceland on June 9 in Auburn, Alabama, a last chance to refine details before the serious business begins.
Messi's Sixth World Cup
For Messi, this camp carries a different weight. This is his record sixth World Cup, an astonishing run that started with his debut for the national team back in 2005. Since then, he has become Argentina’s all-time leader in caps (198) and goals (116), rewriting almost every attacking record in the shirt.
So the sight of him working alone on day one will always draw attention. Yet within this Argentina camp, it looks less like a warning sign and more like a plan: protect the legs, preserve the genius, and make sure that when the anthem plays on June 16, the country’s greatest player is exactly where he intends to be — at the heart of it all, one more time.
