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Argentina returned to the top of FIFA’s rankings on Friday but perhaps the best news for head coach Lionel Scaloni was captain Lionel Messi’s participation in a small-sided training session before the holders face Honduras – 65 places below them, and not involved in the World Cup – in Honduras.
Messi appeared to have a hamstring issue when he was replaced during his last match for Inter Miami before the World Cup on May 25, although the Herons described it as muscle fatigue and the striker appears to be in contention to face Algeria in their opening match of the tournament on June 17 (02:00 BST).
With a match against Iceland in Alabama on Tuesday as their final fixture before the group stage, Lionel Scaloni’s side are unlikely to be unduly tested as the former international attempts to finesse his strategy, which features numerous members of the squad who triumphed in 2022.
Angel Di Maria, the joint-third highest cap-holder in the nation’s history, is an exception following the winger’s retirement after the 2024 Copa America, while Scaloni’s injury concerns in attack have been compounded by Julian Alvarez’s ankle discomfort.
Honduras finished second to Haiti in the third round of South American qualifying, beating the section winners 3-0 at home last October but then losing 2-0 in Nicaragua and drawing 0-0 in Costa Rica.
A better result in either match would have sent Honduras to the play-offs. Their elimination signalled the end of a second spell in charge for Reinaldo Rueda, who earned his country their third ever point at the finals with a 0-0 draw against Switzerland in 2010 following a 1-0 defeat to Chile and 2-0 loss to Spain at those finals.
Jose Francisco Molina has succeeded Rueda, with the former Atletico Madrid goalkeeper’s first game in charge a 2-2 draw with Peru, representing the first time in 11 games that Honduras had conceded more than once.
“We want to be the protagonists with the ball,” said Molina, via the Honduran Football Federation. “We want to dominate the game with possession, be incisive and reach the opposition area, be aggressive defensively and win the ball back.
“We want to be a team who, when the opponent dominates us, is strong and close to the area and compact. We want many things; this is a process that we will try to implement.”
Argentina v Honduras team news
Messi and Alvarez will not be involved. Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has returned to training after breaking a finger and defender Cristian Romero is recovering from a knee injury.
Juan Musso and Geronimo Rulli are competing to stand in for Martinez. Right-back Gonzalo Montiel has been dealing with a muscle tear and attacking midfielder Nico Paz has a bruised knee.
Honduras have spent a week described as “intense” in camp in Houston, where their only reported absentee was forward Alenis Vargas, who is awaiting the delivery of his passport by authorities.
Marathon left-back Jose Aguilera received a late call-up, joining the squad on Wednesday.
