Scaloni Prioritizes Messi’s Fitness Ahead of Friendlies
Argentina’s head coach, Lionel Scaloni, confirmed that he will not risk captain Lionel Messi or any player who may not be in peak condition during the upcoming international friendlies. Argentina is set to face Venezuela on Friday at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, followed by a matchup against Puerto Rico in Chicago on October 13.
Messi, who is 38 years old, has had a heavy schedule recently, competing in seven matches over 21 days with Inter Miami before joining the national team on Monday. Scaloni remarked, “We will assess how Messi and the other players are doing.” The involvement of Messi and teammate Rodrigo De Paul in the game against Venezuela is uncertain due to Inter Miami’s critical MLS regular-season match against Atlanta United the following day.
Despite already securing a position in the 2025 MLS playoffs, Inter Miami is aiming for a higher seed in the Eastern Conference to ensure home-field advantage in the postseason. Scaloni stated, “We will communicate with Messi and the others. The priority is not to take chances. These friendlies are important for the national team, but we won’t risk anyone with minor issues.”
This season, Messi has tallied 24 goals and provided 17 assists in the MLS. He participated in Argentina’s first training session on Tuesday at Inter Miami’s training facilities in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Scaloni intends to use the upcoming matches to evaluate new talent in preparation for next year’s World Cup, stating, “We will look to give chances to new players to see if they can adapt. Every international match—be it official or friendly—offers a valuable opportunity.”
n
