Messi sits out Argentina’s pre-World Cup friendly due to hamstring strain

Lionel Messi sat out Argentina’s friendly match against Honduras as he continues to manage muscle fatigue and a mild strain in his left hamstring ahead of the upcoming World Cup.

Messi, who turns 39 in three weeks, was active after warming up with his teammates at Kyle Field on the campus of Texas A&M before the game on Saturday night. He stayed on the bench, though, watching from the sideline as Argentina won 2-0.

The team has said Messi’s recovery time will depend on “his clinical and functional progress.”

Messi was diagnosed with muscle fatigue in his left hamstring by his Major League Soccer (MLS) club Inter Miami after he made an abrupt exit from Miami’s 6-4 victory over Philadelphia in the 73rd minute late last month.

Argentina next play Iceland in Auburn, Alabama, on Tuesday in a final World Cup tune-up before resuming their training in Kansas City, where the the Albiceleste will begin their World Cup title defence against Algeria at the Arrowhead Stadium on June 16.

During workouts in Kansas City on Wednesday, Messi came to the practice field after the rest of the team and did some conditioning work off to the side.

Messi, who’s widely expected to retire from international football after the tournament, holds the record for most World Cup matches (26) and needs four more goals to surpass Germany’s Miroslav Klose’s World Cup record of 16.

Meanwhile, multi-champions Brazil and Germany also won their preparatory games, although by small margins, with former champions England and hopeful Portugal also securing victories.