Sarmiento Junin · CONMEBOL Libertadores · Midfielder · #14 · Argentina · 32 yrs
Argentina comfortably defeated Iceland 3-0 tonight with goals from Valentín Barco, Lionel Messi, and Thiago Almada in their final international friendly ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Argentina did not disappoint in their final tune-up match, cruising to a commanding 3-0 victory over Iceland thanks to strikes from Valentin Barco, Lionel Messi, and Thiago Almada. The win provides a massive confidence boost for the Albiceleste just before they begin their highly anticipated World Cup title defense in North America. After surviving a massive scare from Iceland in the opening minutes of the match, Argentina found their breakthrough in the 8th minute. Valentin Barco unleashed a spectacular, clinical strike from outside the box to open the scoring and set the tone at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Moving into the second half, manager Lionel Scaloni made a flurry of tactical substitutions to give nearly his entire bench some valuable playing time. The changes paid immediate dividends, as Messi doubled the lead just one minute after stepping onto the pitch. After the referee pointed to the spot for a foul on Lautaro Martínez, the captain confidently stepped up and converted the penalty kick. With Argentina firmly in control and playing their best soccer of the night, the third and final goal arrived courtesy of a beautiful team sequence. Messi, Rodrigo De Paul, and Thiago Almada combined flawlessly in the final third, allowing the Atlético Madrid midfielder to slot the ball home and seal a comprehensive victory.
Portugal face Nigeria in their final World Cup warm-up match, with their tournament opener against DR Congo fast approaching. The post Nigeria friendly perfect preparation for Portugal’s World Cup opener, says Martinez appeared first on SoccerNews.
After Leonardo Balerdi's injury, Lionel Scaloni opened the door for even more changes in Argentina's 2026 World Cup roster. Argentina have already taken their first roster hit with Leonardo Balerdi ruled out of the 2026 World Cup due to injury, and head coach Lionel Scaloni has not closed the door on further changes being made to the squad before the tournament begins. Prior to the game against Honduras, the Argentine Football Association confirmed that Balerdi had sustained a muscle injury to the soleus in his right leg, effectively ending his World Cup before it started. At the post-match press conference, Scaloni addressed the situation directly. “Yesterday when I sat down at the press conference, I was hoping that it wouldn’t be what we all expected, and in the end it was confirmed that Balerdi has a soleus issue and we have to withdraw him because he doesn’t meet the minimum requirements to be able to help us at least in the group stage, and it was too risky,” he explained. Scaloni leaves door open for more roster changes Balerdi’s setback forces Scaloni to dip back into the preliminary 55-man list in search of defensive cover. However, no replacement has been confirmed yet, with the coach indicating he may still need to make additional adjustments beyond the Balerdi situation. Lautaro Martinez of Argentina celebrates with teammates after scoring against Honduras. When asked about a potential replacement, Scaloni issued a broader warning about the squad’s overall fitness. “We believe — I don’t want to cause alarm either — but we are not at 100% with several of the players, and maybe it doesn’t just involve the center backs. We are going to wait,” he said. Scaloni has set Tuesday’s friendly against Iceland on June 9 as the deadline for making decisions, both on Balerdi’s replacement and any other potential changes. “We have the opportunity of one more match and we are going to draw conclusions based on what the team needs. We are not going to make a decision until Tuesday’s match and seeing how the rest are. We will wait,” he added. Three players walking a thin line Even Lionel Messi had been managing some discomfort upon joining the squad, though he, Nico Paz and Julian Alvarez have shown signs of improvement ahead of the World Cup debut. That leaves three players still firmly in Scaloni’s sights as potential roster changes in the coming days. According to TyC Sports journalist and Argentina insider Gaston Edul, Nahuel Molina, Gonzalo Montiel and Leandro Paredes are the three names generating the most concern within the Albiceleste setup. None of the three were able to train with the squad ahead of the Honduras friendly, and none made it onto the substitutes’ bench for the match. Both right backs Molina and Montiel are managing muscle tears, which is why Scaloni brought in Agustin Giay and Nicolas Capaldo for the pre-tournament tour, with both Giay and Capaldo featuring against Honduras. Paredes, meanwhile, is dealing with a low-grade muscle tear from his most recent club action, leaving him unable to train normally and making him the most pressing concern of the three ahead of any potential roster decision in the coming days.
Portugal and Chile both played the second half of their international friendly with 10 men, something which pleased Roberto Martinez. The post Portugal’s 10-man win over Chile good preparation for World Cup, says Martinez appeared first on SoccerNews.
Argentina squares off against Honduras in a pre-World Cup friendly tonight at Kyle Field, but captain Lionel Messi will not see the pitch as the coaching staff manages his physical workload. Lionel Messi will not play in Argentina’s pre-World Cup warm-up match against Honduras at Kyle Field. The Argentine coaching staff has opted to take zero risks with their 38-year-old captain, who is currently recovering from muscle overload caused by lingering fatigue. According to Gaston Edul, a prominent Argentine national team insider for TyC Sports, Messi will suit up and sit on the bench tonight in College Station, Texas, but he is locked into a spectator role and will not log any game minutes to ensure his recovery stays on track. The decision comes just a day after manager Lionel Scaloni gave an encouraging fitness update on Friday, noting that Messi had already rejoined partial squad training and could potentially see playing time during Argentina‘s two-match US friendly slate. With tonight’s appearance ruled out, the Inter Miami star’s next window to get on the pitch will be Tuesday, June 9, when Argentina faces Iceland at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Alabama. The World Champions are playing today! 🤩🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/vFIdb5OnJD— Selección Argentina in English (@AFASeleccionEN) June 6, 2026 However, team doctors have floated the possibility of resting him for that match as well, prioritizing 100% physical readiness for Argentina’s official World Cup group opener against Algeria on June 16. A heavily depleted roster facing Honduras Messi is far from the only high-profile absentee manager Lionel Scaloni must navigate for tonight’s clash against Honduras. Starting goalkeeper Emiliano “Dibu” Martinez is also sidelined as he continues to nurse a fractured finger, ruling him out for the entirety of this two-match international window. Julian Alvarez is another critical weapon the coaching staff refuses to gamble on. The Atletico Madrid forward had previously received medical clearance to return to full squad training; however, he reported persistent pain in his left ankle during subsequent drills. As a result, Scaloni scratched him from tonight’s lineup, and it is highly probable that he will sit out the upcoming match against Iceland as well. In addition to the frontline stars, a group of players—including Leandro Paredes, Gonzalo Montiel, Nahuel Molina, and Nico Paz—remain to individual rehabilitation programs as they fight to overcome their respective physical ailments. None of them will be risked tonight against Honduras.
