Argentina defeated Honduras 2-0 in a friendly at a packed Kyle Field in College Station, Texas, on Saturday, as Lionel Messi remained on the bench due to muscle fatigue. Goals from Lautaro Martínez and Giuliano Simeone gave the defending champions a second-to-last warm-up victroy before the FIFA World Cup kicks off on June 11. The match, reported by ESPN's Lizzy Becherano and The Associated Press, was the second of Argentina's three pre-tournament friendlies .

Muscle fatigue keeps Messi on the bench for second straight warm-up

The 38-year-old Messi, who last played for Inter Miami on May 25, has been nursing a minor injury since joining the national team camp. coach Lionel Scaloni explained that managing workloads is essential because Argentine players “always give everything, they hold nothing back.” Messi's absence, however, disappointed many fans who hoped to see the star in action before what is widely expected to be his final World Cup appearance, according to the source.

Scaloni made several substitutions after the second goal but did not introduce Messi, signaling that the team is prioritizing his recovery ahead of the tournament opener against Algeria on June 16. The decision to rest Messi entirely—rather than give him a brief cameo—suggests caution, as the team aims to defend the title they won in Qatar in 2022.

Lautaro Martínez and Giuliano Simeone deliver the goals

Argentina opened the scoring in the 37th minute when Lautaro Martínez converted a penalty after Nicolás Tagliafico was fouled in the box. Early in the second half, Martínez turned provider with a clever backheel pass that set up Giuliano Simeone for a close-range finish, sealing the 2-0 result. After the match, Martínez emphasized the team's determination, telling ESPN: “We have to go defend what we achieved in Qatar. It's going to be tough, but we're going to give it everything to leave Argentina as high as possible.” The performance highlighted the team's attacking depth even without Messi, as both forwards stepped up in a high-intensity environment.

The 4-goal World Cup record that Messi could still chase

Messi currently holds the record for most World Cup matches played (26) and needs four more goals to surpass Miroslav Klose's all-time record of 16 World Cup goals. With one more friendly scheduled against Iceland on June 9 before the tournament begins, Messi's recovery timeline will be critical. if he is fit for Argentina's Group J campaign—which includes matches against Algeria, Austria, and Jordan—he may have the opportunity to chase the record . however, his prolonged absence from even limited minutes raises questions about his readiness for the physically demanding tournament, as the source notes.

A final test against Iceland before Group J opens against Algeria

Argentina's last warm-up will be against Iceland on June 9, five days before the World Cup start. The match will be a key opportunity for Scaloni to test his preferred lineup and assess Messi's fitness in a game environment. Argentina's Group J also features Austria and Jordan,making their path to the knockout rounds manageable on paper but requiring full squad cohesion. The team's depth—evident in the Honduras match—will be crucial as they seek to become the first repeat champions since Brazil in 1962.