Lionel Messi will start in Tuesday’s home friendly against Zambia, according to Argentina’s national team manager, Lionel Scaloni.
“Yes, I think he’ll start from the beginning tomorrow,” Scaloni told reporters.
In a recent 2-1 victory over Mauritania, Messi came on as a substitute at halftime.
Scaloni stated that the matches against Mauritania and Zambia will help in finalizing Argentina’s 26-player roster for the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
“We need to start narrowing down our options based on performance,” he said. “There’s no other choice.”
Defending champions Argentina faced challenges against Mauritania, ranked 115th in FIFA and yet to qualify for a World Cup.
“The last game should serve as a warning,” Scaloni noted. “As head coach, these are the things to consider moving forward.”
Although Messi hasn’t confirmed his participation in the World Cup yet, Scaloni is optimistic about his decision.
“The main thing is that he enjoys the experience,” Scaloni added. “This could potentially be his last World Cup, and we hope he makes the most of it.”
“It’s not just Argentines who want to see him play; everyone is eager to watch him train and compete,” he concluded.
Argentina aims for its fourth World Cup title, starting its campaign on June 16 against Algeria in Group J in Kansas City. The team will then face Austria on June 22 and Jordan on June 27.
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