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9h ago

Messi to Play Limited Minutes in Argentina’s Final Warm‑Up

A public memorandum for the Auburn friendly includes a $250,000 penalty if Messi does not attend.

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A photo of footballer Lionel Messi looking to his right on a pitch and holding his hands up. Messi is wearing an Argentina national football team shirt in white with blue stripes down the centre with a gold national badge on the chest and a red captain armband
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Overview

  • Coach Lionel Scaloni confirmed in pre-match comments that Messi will take part in the Argentina vs Iceland friendly and that his minutes will be strictly managed to reduce the risk of aggravating a recent muscle issue.
  • The Memorandum of Understanding obtained from Auburn and the match promoter requires a $250,000 payment if Messi does not attend and guarantees Argentina $2.4 million for the game while Iceland will receive at least $325,000.
  • Messi left Inter Miami’s May 24 match with muscle fatigue and was an unused substitute in Argentina’s 2-0 win over Honduras, prompting the cautious approach to his playing time.
  • Defender Leonardo Balerdi was ruled out of the World Cup before these friendlies and Scaloni said a clearer decision on a replacement will follow the Iceland match.
  • The Auburn friendly is Argentina’s final tune-up before the 2026 World Cup, and the MOU disclosure highlights how high-profile player availability now carries both sporting and sizable commercial consequences.