Argentina closed its World Cup preparations with a 3-0 win over Iceland in Auburn, a result that mattered most today because it included Lionel Messi’s return and a late, record-setting finish from the captain.
Valentín Barco opened the scoring after eight minutes, and the match was settled in the second half after coach Lionel Scaloni reshuffled the side. Messi came on in the 69th minute, assisted Lautaro Martínez two minutes later when Martínez drew a foul in the area, and converted the resulting penalty to make it 2-0. Thiago Almada added a third in the 86th minute.
The numbers sharpen the takeaway: 3-0 final score; Barco’s early strike; six changes made by Scaloni at halftime and into the second half; Messi’s 69th-minute entry, his penalty two minutes after that, and his place in the record books as the oldest player to score for Argentina at 38 years, 11 months and 14 days.
Scaloni’s half-time overhaul — which brought on Cristian Romero, Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister and Rodrigo De Paul among others — was both a test of squad depth and a run-through for tournament rotations. The match was, by design, the last opportunity to see combinations under match pressure before Argentina opens its World Cup campaign next Tuesday in Kansas City against Algeria. Group J also includes Austria and Jordan.
That is where the result collides with a real question. Messi had been sidelined after picking up an injury in Inter Miami’s last game against the Philadelphia Union, and while he provided an immediate offensive spark on his return, his late cameo offered only a partial fitness check. He scored from the spot and set up the penalty-winning moment, but entering a match for the final 20-odd minutes is a different test from carrying the team for 90.
The win gives Argentina momentum and a clean sheet to present to the tournament. It also forces a decision line for Scaloni: the coach now must weigh the value of a reliable, impactful short cameo against the risk of asking Messi to shoulder heavy minutes in the World Cup opener. With less than a week until kick-off, the unresolved question is whether Messi’s appearance here was the green light for a full role or simply reassurance that he can contribute if managed carefully.
Argentina leaves Auburn with a win and a shortlist of takeaways—early control through Barco, usable rotation work from Scaloni, and a captain who can still change a game immediately after coming on. The sharper story to watch next is not the scoreline but the selection meeting that follows: how Scaloni will set minutes for Messi against Algeria and whether the team’s balance will tilt toward protecting its best player or keeping him central to its opening plans.
