The anticipation surrounding Lionel Messi’s participation in Argentina’s upcoming friendlies has reached fever pitch. The World Cup-winning captain, now 38, has joined Lionel Scaloni’s squad after a relentless run of games with Inter Miami, playing seven times in just 21 days. But as Argentina prepares to face Venezuela in Miami and Puerto Rico in Chicago, the manager has delivered a calm yet telling message about his star player’s situation — one wrapped in a seven-word hint that has everyone guessing.
Messi’s arrival in Argentina’s camp at Inter Miami’s training base in Fort Lauderdale was met with both excitement and concern. Fans were eager to see their captain back in the iconic Albiceleste colors, yet questions lingered over his fitness after a congested club schedule.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of the friendlies, Lionel Scaloni addressed the issue with a measured tone, careful not to raise expectations or panic. “We will make a decision, we will see how he [Messi] and the rest of the players are,” he said. “We are going to talk to him and to the others.”
Behind those words lies the reality that Messi’s involvement in Friday’s clash against Venezuela remains uncertain, particularly as Inter Miami faces Atlanta United in a crucial MLS fixture less than 24 hours later. While Miami has already secured a place in the MLS playoffs, the club is still battling for a top seeding that would guarantee home-field advantage — a factor both Scaloni and Messi are well aware of.
Scaloni’s seven-word hint
Midway through his comments, Scaloni offered the clearest clue yet about his captain’s status — though he phrased it with deliberate subtlety. “The idea is not to risk anyone,” he said, a seven-word hint that encapsulated Argentina’s cautious approach to these matches.
He continued, “These are important games for the national team, but they are friendlies. Whoever has a minor problem, whether it’s him or someone else, we are not going to take any risks whatsoever.”
That statement, delivered with Scaloni’s characteristic calm, underscores a broader philosophy guiding Argentina’s current preparations: to protect the players’ long-term health while using this window to refresh the squad ahead of next year’s World Cup.
