Messi scores from the spot as Argentina beat Iceland 3-0 in final World Cup warm-up
The Argentina captain, who is preparing for a record sixth World Cup appearance, came off the bench in the 70th minute and converted a penalty two minutes later after Lautaro Martínez was fouled inside the box.
Lionel Messi marked his return from injury with a goal as Argentina defeated Iceland 3-0 on Tuesday (9 June) in their final warm-up match ahead of the World Cup.
The Argentina captain, who is preparing for a record sixth World Cup appearance, came off the bench in the 70th minute and converted a penalty two minutes later after Lautaro Martínez was fouled inside the box.
Messi, 38, had been recovering from muscle fatigue and a minor hamstring strain picked up during his last appearance for Inter Miami on 24 May. After missing the start of the match, he made an immediate impact once introduced.
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The Argentina star, the national team's all-time top scorer with 117 goals, struck a high left-footed penalty in the 72nd minute to seal the win.
Argentina, the reigning world champions and three-time winners in 1978, 1986 and 2022, will begin their World Cup campaign against Algeria on June 16 in Kansas City. Group J also includes Austria and Jordan.
The match was only the second meeting between Argentina and Iceland. Their previous encounter came at the 2018 World Cup, which ended 1-1, where Messi had missed a penalty.
