Overview
- Coach Lionel Scaloni confirmed on Monday that Messi has recovered from a recent muscle strain and is expected to start Argentina's Group J opener against Algeria.
- If he plays, Messi will become the first player to appear in six World Cups, edging Cristiano Ronaldo to that mark by hours.
- Messi enters the tournament three goals short of Miroslav Klose's all-time World Cup scoring record and is reported to be close to 200 international caps.
- Argentina brings strong continuity from 2022, with roughly 17 players retained from the World Cup-winning squad, allowing Scaloni to manage Messi's minutes while keeping team balance.
- Teammates stressed Messi's leadership and competitive drive, a personal influence that could shape Argentina's push to defend the title and how the coach uses him across the tournament.