D. La Serena · CONMEBOL Libertadores · Midfielder · #4 · Argentina · 30 yrs
Marc asked: Will Andoni Iraola be able to get Kerkez back to how he excelled in his Bournemouth team, and can he keep youngsters like Conor Bradley and Stefan Bajcetic fit? Aadam: Kerkez actually improved as the season went on, and I recall Virgil van Dijk hailing the Hungarian to reporters in the second half of the campaign. It is worth noting that Kerkez is younger than Andy Robertson was when he joined Liverpool, so that development is expected to come with time and you would imagine that working under Iraola should even accelerate that.
Messi's appearance, his sharpness on the ball, and a remarkable achievement reached during the match ensured that the evening in Alabama became far more significant than a routine pre-tournament friendly. Lionel Messi gave Argentina exactly what it wanted to see ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The captain returned from a recent fitness concern, found the net shortly after coming off the bench, and helped the defending champion secure a comfortable victory over Iceland in its final warm-up match before the tournament. The result itself was encouraging, but there was an even bigger storyline unfolding beneath the surface. Messi’s appearance, his sharpness on the ball, and a remarkable achievement reached during the match ensured that the evening in Alabama became far more significant than a routine pre-tournament friendly. Argentina defeated Iceland 3-0 in Auburn, Alabama, with goals from Valentín Barco, Lionel Messi, and Thiago Almada. The world champion controlled large stretches of the match and ended its preparation schedule on a positive note. Lionel Scaloni opted to manage the workload of several key players. Messi, along with Julian Alvarez, Enzo Fernandez, and Alexis Mac Allister, started the match on the bench as Argentina continued its cautious approach ahead of the competition. Iceland threatened early when Mikael Ellertsson missed a golden opportunity to open the scoring. Argentina quickly took control afterward, and Barco broke the deadlock when a loose ball fell kindly for him on the edge of the area. Lionel Messi of Argentina looks on during the international friendly match between Argentina and Iceland The South American side remained patient throughout the first half. Iceland defended with discipline, but Argentina continued to create opportunities and gradually increased the pressure. Messi returns and changes the game The biggest roar of the night arrived when Messi stepped onto the pitch during the closing stages. After concerns surrounding muscle fatigue suffered while playing for Inter Miami, supporters were eager to see whether the captain was fully ready for another World Cup campaign. The answer arrived almost immediately. Within moments of entering the match, Messi played a superb pass that led to Lautaro Martínez being fouled inside the penalty area. The 38-year-old superstar stepped forward and calmly converted from the spot. The goal extended Argentina’s advantage and removed any lingering doubts about his readiness for the tournament. Con la primera pelota de Messi en el juego… ¡PENAL PARA ARGENTINA! ⚽❗ Lo cobra Messi, Argentina aumenta la ventaja 2-0 ante Islandia en el amistoso. pic.twitter.com/HztiSby31x— ESPN Deportes (@ESPNDeportes) June 10, 2026 His influence did not stop there. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner later helped create Argentina’s third goal, combining with Rodrigo De Paul before Thiago Almada finished the move to complete a convincing victory. The historic record revealed While the goal helped secure the result, it also carried historic significance. Messi’s strike was his 117th goal in an Argentina shirt and his 199th international appearance. More importantly, it made him the oldest goalscorer in Argentina national team history, breaking a record that had stood for 69 years. The previous mark belonged to Angel Labruna, who scored for Argentina against Brazil in 1957 at the age of 38 years and nine months. Messi surpassed that achievement at 38 years, 11 months, and 18 days old, adding yet another milestone to an extraordinary international career. The record further highlights the longevity that has defined Messi’s career. Nearly two decades after making his senior debut, he continues to deliver decisive moments for his country on football’s biggest stages.
Gonzalo Montiel and Nicolas Gonzalez are the players creating the biggest doubts for Lionel Scaloni as he builds Argentina’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Lionel Scaloni has yet to announce his final decision regarding Argentina’s squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The head coach acknowledged that he plans to wait as long as possible before finalizing the roster, taking into account the physical condition of certain players. In that context, Gonzalo Montiel and Nicolas Gonzalez are the most delicate cases. “As of right now, we still have some lingering doubts and a few fitness issues with specific players that we intend to resolve over the coming days,” Scaloni explained during an interview this week with DSports. According to prestigious Argentine outlet Infobae, there are two cases in particular worrying the coach and his staff. The first is Montiel, who suffered a hamstring tear in his right leg on May 16 during a River Plate match against Rosario Central. While the injury was initially ruled out as severe, it became clear over the following days that the 29-year-old defender would face a considerable recovery period before returning to the field. That puts his World Cup participation in serious jeopardy, with Argentina set to debut on June 16 against Algeria. Lionel Scaloni, head coach of Argentina. Argentina’s problem at right-back What adds even more complexity to Gonzalo Montiel’s situation is his position. He is one of the team’s two primary options at right-back alongside Nahuel Molina. However, the Atletico Madrid defender is also currently injured — although his recovery timeline appears shorter — creating a void in that area of the field and forcing a careful risk assessment. The coach must determine whether it makes sense to bring two players dealing with physical issues who compete for the same position, with the risk that neither could be available to play. There is also another complication: the player who was usually the backup option behind Montiel and Molina, Juan Foyth, has already been ruled out of the World Cup because of a serious Achilles tendon injury. Given that scenario, Scaloni has included several players capable of playing right-back in the preliminary list of 55 names. That includes Hamburger’s Nicolas Capaldo, Palmeiras’ Augusto Giay, and Union Saint Gilloise’s Kevin Mac Allister. The common factor among all of them, however, is their lack of experience with the senior Argentina national team, a detail that hurts their chances and helps explain why the staff is waiting until the last possible moment on Montiel. Nicolas Gonzalez’s situation Nicolas Gonzalez is facing a predicament similar to Gonzalo Montiel’s. The Atletico Madrid wide midfielder suffered a right thigh injury on April 28 and has still not fully recovered despite nearly a month having passed. Gonzalez’s case is especially significant for two reasons. On one hand, his skill set makes him difficult to replace because of the versatility that allows him to play as a left-back, midfielder, winger, and even center forward — a valuable trait in a tournament that features several matches over a short period of time. In addition, despite being a regular member of the Argentina national team for years, Nico missed the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar because of a similar injury, which would make another exclusion from the roster traveling to North America especially painful.
