Messi trains alone as Argentina hold first World Cup practice session

Lionel Messi, 38, trained separately from his Argentina teammates during the squad's first World Cup practice session held on June 2, 2026, in Kansas City, Missouri. Messi has been managing muscle fatigue in his left hamstring since May 24 and worked on 'specific exercises' alongside other players with fitness concerns. The defending World Cup champions are expected to have Messi available for their tournament opener against Algeria on June 16 in Kansas City.