Lionel Messi had a quick commute on Monday to join Argentina’s Copa América training sessions. The current champions of Copa América 2021 and the 2022 World Cup are getting ready for the tournament in South Florida at Inter Miami, where Messi plays for the MLS club. Messi, the legendary footballer who has won the Ballon d’Or eight times, will once again lead Argentina as captain in the upcoming Copa América. Before the tournament kicks off on June 20 with a match against Canada in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Messi will participate in two friendly matches on June 9 in Chicago and June 14 in the Washington D.C. area.
According to Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni, Messi seems to be in good health and ready for action. Scaloni stated to reporters that Messi’s consistent play after his injury is a positive sign. Messi joined the team in the hotel on Monday after a fun day spent with Luis Suarez playing indoor soccer and paddleball. Meanwhile, the rest of the Argentine team and coaches arrived in South Florida for their upcoming matches.
Argentina’s current training stint at Inter Miami feels like a moment coming full circle. They utilized the club’s facilities in September 2022 before their successful World Cup campaign – a factor that influenced Messi to join the club the following year. As Messi approaches the end of his illustrious career, his World Cup victory solidified his place as one of the greatest players in football history. With his announcement that the 2022 World Cup would be his last, this Copa América could potentially be his final major tournament representing Argentina. Although Messi will likely assist Argentina in qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, he will be 39 when the tournament kicks off, should he choose to continue playing. Despite dealing with some injuries, Messi has shown his prime form with Inter Miami, contributing to their success in the majority of games he has played. Looking ahead, the question arises – does Messi have another exceptional tournament performance in him? His consistent play for Inter Miami suggests that he does, promising exciting prospects for both club and country.
Messi is no longer playing alongside Kylian Mbappé or Neymar, so he has taken on a larger scoring role. He has notched 25 goals and 16 assists, with a standout performance of five assists in a single match on May 4. Scoring in 19 out of 29 games and assisting in 10, Messi has had a crucial impact in 23 of his appearances. During a four-game stretch from April 13 to May 4, he impressively scored six goals and provided eight assists. This recent run of form is Messi’s strongest since his initial standout period with Inter Miami, where he tallied 10 goals and an assist leading to victory in the Leagues Cup. After wrapping up his stint with Inter Miami in a 3-3 draw against St. Louis, Messi is now back with the Argentina squad following his goals in the last two matches. While Inter Miami’s 3-1 loss to Atlanta United broke his streak of personal success translating to team wins, such games serve as motivation for Messi to keep pushing forward.
