Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni provided a reassuring update on Lionel Messi’s fitness during a press conference on Friday ahead of Argentina’s match against Honduras on Saturday. Scaloni said Messi is making good progress and is now training with the group, rather than working separately as he had been earlier.
According to Scaloni, Messi’s recovery is moving in the right direction and the team is optimistic about his availability for the upcoming friendlies. “Leo is doing well. He trained with the group, he’s no longer totally differentiated,” Scaloni said. He added that Messi “might be part of one of these two friendly matches” and emphasized that the forward is “doing much better,” which has brought added peace of mind to the Argentina camp.
The comments come as Argentina continues its preparations for the international break and evaluates the fitness of key players ahead of upcoming fixtures. Messi’s status has drawn attention because of his importance to the national team and his influence on Argentina’s attacking play. Any update suggesting improvement is significant for supporters and for Scaloni’s planning.
Scaloni did not confirm whether Messi will start against Honduras or feature in the other friendly, but his remarks suggest the coaching staff sees encouraging signs in the player’s recovery. Training with the full squad is often viewed as an important step toward match readiness, and Scaloni’s tone indicated cautious confidence rather than concern.
Messi’s fitness has been closely monitored in recent weeks, and the Argentina manager’s latest update suggests that there is no major setback. While Scaloni stopped short of guaranteeing minutes, his statement implies that Messi is close enough to be considered for selection. That will likely raise expectations among fans hoping to see the captain return to action during the friendlies.
For Argentina, having Messi available would be a major boost as the team continues to build rhythm and assess its squad depth. Scaloni’s update reflects a positive development at a time when the national side is focused on maintaining momentum and managing player workload carefully.
The press conference also highlighted the importance of gradual recovery and squad integration, especially for a player of Messi’s stature. With the coach indicating that Messi is no longer training separately, Argentina appears to be in a stronger position regarding his match fitness. Further decisions about his involvement are expected as the team moves closer to kickoff.
