Messi Marks Injury Return With Goal as Argentina Defeat Iceland 3-0

Lionel Messi made an impressive return from injury concerns, scoring shortly after coming off the bench as Argentina national football team defeated Iceland national football team 3-0 in their final warm-up match ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The friendly encounter took place in Auburn, Alabama, where Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni opted for an experimental starting lineup, leaving Messi and several key players on the bench.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner had been recovering from muscle fatigue suffered during Inter Miami CF’s thrilling 6-4 victory over Philadelphia on May 24. His return eased concerns about his fitness ahead of what will be his sixth World Cup appearance.

Iceland nearly stunned the world champions early on when Mikael Egill Ellertsson missed a clear opportunity, firing over an open goal. Argentina quickly capitalised, taking the lead through defender Valentin Barco after Iceland failed to clear a dangerous situation inside their penalty area.

Argentina dominated much of the game but missed several chances to extend their lead. Nico Paz was denied by goalkeeper Elias Olafsson before halftime, while Lautaro Martinez struck the post twice after being introduced in the second half.

The crowd finally got what it had been waiting for when Messi entered the match in the final quarter. Moments after his introduction, his clever pass created a chance for Martinez, who was fouled by Olafsson.

Messi calmly converted the resulting opportunity, netting his 117th international goal on his 199th appearance for Argentina.

The victory provides a major boost for the defending world champions ahead of their World Cup campaign. Argentina open their title defence against Algeria national football team on June 16 before facing Austria national football team and Jordan national football team in Group J.