Argentina’s World Cup title defense draws a frenzy in Kansas City as Messi nurses a hamstring strain
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Turns out that reigning World Cup champion Argentina draws quite a crowd no matter where it goes.
Whether it be fans surrounding the team’s upscale hotel near downtown Kansas City, or their first training session opened to media Wednesday that drew hundreds of reporters to the facilities of Major League Soccer club Sporting Kansas City, there are few places that Lionel Messi and the rest of La Albiceleste are not the center of attention as the tournament draws near.
They begin their title defense against Algeria at Arrowhead Stadium on June 16.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni revealed his 26-man World Cup roster last week. It is headlined by Messi, who turns 39 in less than a month, and features 17 players that were on the team that triumphed four years ago against France in the final in Qatar.
Messi has been dealing with muscle fatigue and a mild strain in his left hamstring. The team has said his recovery time will depend on “his clinical and functional progress,” though it seems unlikely that he will participate in its upcoming friendlies.
He came to the practice field after the rest of the team on Wednesday and did some conditioning work off to the side.
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Argentina did not make any players or coaches available to speak to reporters. The team will continue training in Kansas City until it departs for the first of two World Cup tune-up matches against Honduras on Saturday in College Station, Texas.
The team plays Iceland in Auburn, Alabama, three days later before resuming its training in Kansas City.
Most of the players arrived at the team’s home base Sunday aboard a charter from Buenos Aires designed to pay homage to the nation’s rich World Cup history. The flight number 1978 was a nod to the year it beat the Netherlands to win the title, and the A330 was trimmed with special livery that included the national team colors and Messi’s No. 10 on the tail.
