Scaloni Prioritizes Messi’s Fitness Avoids Unnecessary Risks
Lionel Scaloni Prioritizes Player Health Ahead of Argentina Friendlies
Argentina’s Friendly Matches: A Focus on Player Health and New Talent
Argentina’s national soccer team coach, Lionel Scaloni, emphasized that he will prioritize the health of captain Lionel Messi and other players who might not be fully fit as they prepare for upcoming international friendlies. The Albiceleste are set to face Venezuela on Friday at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium before meeting Puerto Rico in Chicago on October 13.
Messi, who is 38, recently joined the national team after a bustling schedule that included seven games in 21 days with Inter Miami. Scaloni stated, “We will make a decision based on how he [Messi] and the rest of the players are feeling.”
Fitness Concerns for Messi and De Paul Amid MLS Schedule
The participation of Messi and teammate Rodrigo De Paul in the match against Venezuela is uncertain, given their demanding commitments. Inter Miami clashes with Atlanta United in a significant Major League Soccer (MLS) regular-season match at Chase Stadium just a day later. Although Inter Miami has secured a spot in the 2025 MLS playoffs, the team continues to strive for an advantageous position in the Eastern Conference standings.
“We are going to discuss with him [Messi] and the others,” Scaloni added. “The objective is not to risk anyone. These games are crucial for the national team, yet they remain friendlies. We will not take any risk if someone has a minor issue.”
Messi’s Stellar Performance in MLS
Lionel Messi has been a standout performer in the MLS this season, scoring 24 goals and providing 17 assists. He participated in Argentina’s inaugural training session on Tuesday afternoon at Inter Miami’s facilities in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
Testing New Players Ahead of World Cup
Scaloni also mentioned the significance of these friendly matches as opportunities to evaluate new talents in preparation for next year’s World Cup. “Naturally, we are going to try to give a chance to new players, to see if they can get on board,” he explained. “That is the idea — to use these matches to try different players. International matches, whether official or friendly, offer a unique opportunity.”
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