Lionel Messi Shines in Argentina's 3-0 Victory Over Iceland Ahead of World Cup

Messi Celebrates Argentina's Warm-Up Win

On June 10, in Alabama, Argentina's captain Lionel Messi took to Instagram to share a collection of images following his team's impressive 3-0 victory against Iceland during a FIFA World Cup 2026 warm-up match held at the Jordan-Hare Stadium.

In his post, the iconic footballer expressed enthusiasm, stating, "Come on, let’s be closer than ever."

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In the match, Argentina faced an early challenge when Iceland missed a clear chance to score in the first few minutes. However, the reigning champions quickly took control.

Valentin Barco opened the scoring in the eighth minute with a stunning shot from outside the penalty area, putting Argentina ahead.

Lionel Messi made a significant impact after coming off the bench in the second half, assisting Lautaro Martinez to win a penalty. Messi then successfully converted the penalty in the 72nd minute, extending Argentina's lead.

Thiago Almada capped off the scoring in the 86th minute, finishing a well-coordinated play involving Messi and Martinez that broke through Iceland's defense.

Argentina showcased their dominance throughout the match, heading into the World Cup with confidence after this solid performance.

For context, Messi had missed Argentina's previous friendly against Honduras on June 6 due to muscle fatigue in his left hamstring, despite participating in the warm-up.

The Inter Miami star had joined the national squad after feeling discomfort during an MLS match against the Philadelphia Union before the league's break for the World Cup.

Argentina will kick off their World Cup journey against Algeria on June 16, followed by matches against Austria and Jordan in Group J.