Key Points
• Lionel Messi came off the bench and scored in Argentina's 3-0 win over Iceland.
• The goal was Messi's 117th for Argentina and 911th in his professional career.
• Argentina continued preparations for the FIFA World Cup with an impressive victory.
Lionel Messi made a successful return to action on Tuesday, scoring shortly after coming off the bench as Argentina defeated Iceland 3-0 in a pre-World Cup friendly in Alabama.
With more than 88,000 fans packed into Jordan-Hare Stadium, anticipation grew throughout the match as supporters waited to see whether Messi would play after recent concerns over a hamstring issue.
The Argentina captain started on the bench but entered the match in the 70th minute. Just moments later, he played a key role in creating a penalty opportunity before calmly converting from the spot to score Argentina's second goal of the night.
The strike marked Messi's 117th international goal for Argentina and the 911th goal of his professional career for club and country.
Messi Returns Ahead of World Cup
Messi recently dealt with muscle fatigue in his left hamstring while playing for Inter Miami, raising questions about his availability ahead of Argentina's World Cup campaign.
His appearance against Iceland offered a positive sign for Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni, who had previously said the coaching staff would carefully manage player minutes to avoid further injuries before the tournament.
The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner looked comfortable during his brief appearance and received a loud ovation from the crowd throughout the evening.
Argentina Continue Winning Form
Argentina took control of the match before Messi's introduction.
Ezequiel Barco opened the scoring, while Messi's penalty extended the lead before Thiago Almada added a third goal to complete a convincing 3-0 victory.
The reigning world champions have now secured back-to-back wins in their final preparations before opening their World Cup campaign later this month.
Argentina vs Iceland Lineups
Argentina rotated several players during the friendly as Scaloni evaluated fitness levels ahead of the World Cup. Messi was among the substitutes before entering during the second half.
Iceland, meanwhile, struggled to contain Argentina's attacking quality and created few clear chances throughout the contest.
For Argentina supporters, the biggest takeaway was seeing Messi back on the field and scoring before the start of another major international tournament.
