Lionel Messi Shines in Argentina's Friendly Win Against Iceland

Lionel Messi needed barely a heartbeat to turn a routine friendly into his own stage.

Argentina were already in control in Auburn, Alabama, when the 38-year-old finally rose from the bench in the 70th minute. It was supposed to be a gentle tune-up, a final systems check before the World Cup. Instead, it became another reminder that, even creaking into his late 30s and nursing a sore hamstring, Messi still bends games to his will.

Messi’s instant impact

His first touch changed everything.

Dropping into the pocket, Messi slipped a perfectly weighted throughball into the path of Lautaro Martinez. The striker burst into the box and was wiped out by Iceland goalkeeper Elias Olafsson. Penalty. No debate.

Messi picked up the ball, took the responsibility, and lashed the spot kick high into the roof of the net. Clinical. Unsaveable. International goal number 117, added to the record book with the nonchalance of a man tying his boots.

That strike doubled Argentina’s lead and settled any lingering questions about his fitness after he missed the weekend win over Honduras, still managing a left hamstring issue that had cut short his final Inter Miami outing before the World Cup break on May 24. On this evidence, the concern can wait. The World Cup, his sixth, now beckons. He will walk into history alongside Cristiano Ronaldo as the only men to reach that mark.

Scaloni experiments, Barco seizes his chance

Before Messi’s entrance, this night was about Lionel Scaloni’s experiments.

Julian Alvarez, Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister and Messi all started on the bench as the coach rolled out a reshuffled side in front of an 88,000-strong crowd. It felt like a dress rehearsal for the supporting cast, a chance for fringe players to stake their claim.

Iceland should have spoiled the script early. Mikael Egill Ellertsson found himself staring at an open goal in the opening minutes and smashed his effort over the bar. A huge let-off.

The punishment came swiftly.

A scramble inside the Iceland box ended with a half-clearance dropping to Valentin Barco on the edge. The Strasbourg defender didn’t hesitate, drilling a low shot into the bottom corner to give Argentina a 1-0 lead and a jolt of calm. One chance, one ruthless finish.

Nico Paz, starting in Messi’s absence, had the opportunity to match that composure. He didn’t. When a clear opening fell to him before half-time, he thumped his shot straight at Olafsson’s face. It was a moment that summed up his night: energetic, willing, but lacking the decisive touch that separates squad hopefuls from guaranteed starters.

Changes, woodwork and the wait for Messi

Scaloni rang the changes at the interval. Fernandez and Mac Allister stepped into midfield, Lautaro Martinez joined the front line, and the tempo lifted.

Lautaro, though, left his scoring boots in the dressing room. Twice he struck the post when it seemed easier to score, Argentina’s second goal stubbornly refusing to arrive. Each miss cranked up the tension in the stands, but it was a restless anticipation rather than real anxiety.

Everyone knew what they were waiting for.

When Messi finally peeled off his tracksuit in the final quarter, the noise told its own story. This was a friendly in name only; the crowd had come to see the legend, one more time before the stakes skyrocket.

He did not disappoint.

After burying his penalty, Messi slipped seamlessly into conductor mode. Argentina’s third goal carried his fingerprints too. A sharp pass into Rodrigo De Paul sliced Iceland open, De Paul squared across the box, and Thiago Almada arrived to tap home. Simple, ruthless, 3-0. Job done.

Argentina walked away with a clean bill of health, a comfortable win, and their captain looking sharp. For a team chasing back-to-back world titles, it is hard to script a smoother final rehearsal.

Iraq stumble as Venezuela strike twice

While Argentina cruised, Iraq’s final World Cup warm-up told a very different story.

In Bridgeville, Illinois, they fell 2-0 to Venezuela, a defeat that cut into the optimism surrounding their first World Cup appearance in 40 years. This was supposed to be a confidence-builder. Instead, it raised questions.

Cristian Casseres struck first for Venezuela in the 17th minute, pouncing in the box to steer home from close range. The goal gave the South Americans control, and they never really surrendered it.

Any hope of an Iraqi response evaporated straight after the interval. Casseres again did the damage, winning the ball and sliding it into Jesus Ramirez. The striker drove at his marker, skipped past him and hammered a powerful shot into the net for 2-0. One incisive move, and the contest slipped away.

Iraq’s night worsened in the 72nd minute when forward Ali Youssef received a straight red card, leaving his side to finish with 10 men and no way back into the game.

The result will sting, but the reality is brutal and simple: the real test starts now. Iraq return to the World Cup stage for the first time since their lone appearance four decades ago, opening Group I against Norway on June 17 before meetings with France and Senegal.

Argentina leave the United States looking polished, their superstar primed for another tilt at history. Iraq head to the same tournament with doubts to confront and giants to face. Which path will define this World Cup?