18/06/2026 19:51 - Deportes
Jugadores argentinos entrenando con chalecos refrigerantes bajo el sol, con estadio de fondo y ambiente de concentración mundialista
The Argentine National Team continues its preparation in Kansas City ahead of their second match in Group J of the 2026 World Cup against Austria, scheduled for Sunday, June 22 in Dallas. Lionel Scaloni's team trains with cooling vests to combat the high temperatures of the North American continent, a practice also used by other national teams like Spain.
The squad performed recovery exercises after the physical toll of their debut, approaching their next challenge with high morale following a convincing 3-0 victory over Algeria.
The Argentine coach faces two key decisions for the starting lineup:
Left back Nicolás Tagliafico is recovering favorably from his discomfort and aims to be available for the match against Austria.
His solid performance in the debut means there's no rush for his recovery. Facundo Medina performed well in the first match and has chances to continue if Tagliafico needs more rest.
The Messi family released an official statement clarifying that Jorge Messi, father of the Argentine captain, is under medical supervision, recovering and evolving favorably. The statement repudiated the spread of false rumors about his health, including erroneous versions circulated by some media outlets.
This explains the visible emotion of Lionel Messi after scoring his first goal against Algeria, where the Rosario star showed a more human side. The superstar went through "difficult and complicated days" due to family matters, as he himself stated.
The family requested privacy and clarified that only information from official channels is valid.
The United States coach declared: "Messi is from another planet. It's incredible to watch him, incredible to see the world champions with players, with staff, to see the fans... It was the only match where you could hear the people more than the broadcast."
The legendary Chilean midfielder was amazed by the '10's performance: "He plays alone", he summarized on social media.
The Brazilian surrendered to the Rosario star: "It's time for the world to accept that he is the greatest of all time."
Argentina and Colombia are the only South American teams that managed to win their first match of the 2026 World Cup.
Brazil stumbled against Morocco, Paraguay lost to United States, Ecuador fell to Ivory Coast, and Uruguay drew with Saudi Arabia.
Rodrigo De Paul had an immense performance in the debut. His move to Inter Miami was a strategically focused decision for the 2026 World Cup, adapting to the style of play and preparing his performance for the tournament.
Argentina leads Group J with 3 points and a goal difference of +3. The upcoming commitments are:
The national team will remain in Kansas City until Sunday according to journalist Gastón Edul, before traveling to Dallas for the second group stage match.
Source: AS.com
Alfredo S. Quiroga
