Messi Trains Alone as Argentina Prepares for World Cup

Lionel Messi stepped onto the grass in Kansas City on Monday, but not quite with the rest of Argentina.

While the world champions opened their first full training session at their U.S. base camp, the captain worked off to the side, going through a tailored routine as the coaching and medical staff manage the muscle fatigue in his left hamstring that has lingered since May 24.

No panic. Just precaution.

At 38, and on the brink of a record sixth World Cup, Messi moved through “specific exercises” alongside a small group of teammates also nursing minor issues. The Argentina Football Association stressed that the players carrying knocks are progressing well under the guidance of the physiotherapy team, mixing treatment with controlled work on the pitch.

The stakes are obvious. Argentina launch their title defence against Algeria on June 16, right here in Kansas City, and every step, stretch and sprint from their No 10 between now and then will be monitored.

This is a camp built around fine-tuning, not overloading. Ranked third in the world, Argentina have one final tune-up match scheduled against Iceland on June 9 in Auburn, Alabama, before attention locks fully onto the opener.

Messi’s numbers for his country remain staggering: 198 caps, 116 goals since his debut in 2005. Two-time MLS MVP. Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner. The résumé is complete; the body still needs managing.

So on day one in the U.S., while his teammates went through the more conventional drills, their captain cut a slightly different figure — close enough to feel the rhythm of the group, distant enough to protect that left hamstring.

Argentina can live with that for now. The real question is how ready he will look when the ball rolls against Algeria and another World Cup story begins.