Lionel Messi expressed his optimism about Argentina’s prospects of retaining their World Cup title after a commanding 3-0 victory over Iceland in their last preparation match. The Inter Miami forward found the net after coming on in the second half, setting a new international record for his nation.
Messi regains full fitness
Messi once again demonstrated why he remains the central figure in Argentina’s ambitions. In the 3-0 triumph against Iceland at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Alabama, the Rosario-born star entered the match in the 70th minute and coolly converted a penalty to seal the result. The goal took his international tally to 117, marking an impressive return to form after recovering from a minor fitness concern.
Speaking to TyC Sports after the match, Messi shared his satisfaction with his physical condition: “I’ve been enjoying it from the start. I was eager to play for a while since I arrived with this discomfort. I’m happy, enjoying every moment, and as always, very excited. I felt great, wanted to get going, and shake off the fears you have when you’re not fully fit — to play freely. We have a week to get everyone prepared for the opening match.”
Breaking Labruna’s record
At 38 years, 11 months, and 14 days old, Messi became the oldest player ever to score for the Albiceleste, surpassing the long-standing record held by Angel Labruna since 1957. The River Plate legend had netted his final international goal at 38 years, nine months, and eight days in a memorable encounter with Brazil. Messi’s outing against Iceland also marked his 199th official appearance for Argentina, further extending his record as the nation’s most-capped player.
Although Labruna’s goal-scoring record has now been overtaken, he still holds another milestone for Argentina — being the oldest footballer to play for the national side. Labruna featured in the 1958 World Cup in Sweden at 39 years and 260 days. Since Messi will turn 39 during the current tournament, he cannot surpass that figure this time around.
The hunger of a champion side remains
Messi made it clear that previous triumphs have not reduced the competitive spirit of this Argentina team. The skipper stressed that the squad’s mentality remains unchanged from when they conquered the world in Qatar, with their dedication to the national colours unwavering ahead of their group-stage opener against Algeria.
When asked about the pressure of defending the title, the No.10 responded: “As always, when a new competition starts — especially a World Cup — I’m very excited. I said before that this group would never disappoint, and they showed it again this year. No matter the rival or the tournament, they continue to compete with the same hunger and enthusiasm. It’s a winning group that always wants more. We’ll go step by step, as always, but with great excitement, belief, and confidence in what we can achieve.”
A message to their rivals
Fully aware of the challenges of being the reigning champions, Messi issued a firm message to Argentina’s opponents — defeating them will not be easy. The captain highlighted the fighting spirit that defines Lionel Scaloni’s team and urged supporters to maintain their faith in a group that has consistently delivered under pressure.
On what fans can expect from the squad, Messi added: “This group deserves everything that’s happening to them. We’ll give our all, as we always have, so that people never doubt our commitment. Sometimes things go our way, sometimes they don’t, but in recent years we’ve been fortunate to achieve good results. It’s tough, and it gets tougher each time, but we’ve adapted — and so have the fans. We’ll try to keep that going. Whether it happens or not, that’s football. But one thing’s certain — it will be very hard for our rivals to beat us because we’re an extremely competitive side.”
