Argentina extended the winning run with a 2-0 friendly victory over Honduras, yet Lionel Scaloni warned that several squad members are still short of full fitness. Lionel Messi stayed on the bench because of muscle fatigue, while the coaching staff continued balancing preparation for the World Cup with fitness concerns across the group.

The reigning world champions celebrated goals from Lautaro Martinez and Giuliano Simeone, but the performance came against a backdrop of injury issues. Leonardo Balerdi had already been ruled out of the tournament before the Honduras match, and doubts remain about Nico Gonzalez and Gonzalo Montiel ahead of the opener against Algeria on June 16.

Scaloni outlined the delicate situation when assessing the squad’s condition and the timing of selection calls. “I don’t want to alarm anyone either, but we’re not at 100% with many players, Scaloni said. Maybe that decision doesn’t just depend on a centre-back. We’re going to wait and draw conclusions based on what the team needs. The misfortune of ‘Flaco’ [Balerdi] means we have to rethink situations with other team-mates. If we rush it, it could be a wrong decision. We’re not going to make a decision until the Tuesday match [against Iceland] and see how the other guys are. We’ll wait.”

Those comments highlighted how Balerdi’s enforced absence has a wider impact on the defensive structure and overall list. Marcos Senesi is reported as the leading candidate to come into the Argentina World Cup squad, while medical staff track the recovery of several key names in different positions before final decisions are confirmed.

On the pitch, Lautaro Martinez delivered a decisive performance that underlined attacking depth before the Argentina World Cup campaign. The forward converted a calm penalty for the opener and later produced a clever backheel pass, which gave Simeone the chance to score the second goal and secure Argentina’s sixth consecutive win in all competitions.

That streak supports belief inside the squad as Argentina try to become only the third nation to retain the World Cup. The team aims to follow previous back-to-back champions Italy, who triumphed in 1934 and 1938, and Brazil, who lifted the trophy in 1958 and 1962, as they prepare for another title defence.

Lautaro Martinez highlighted the mindset within the group as attention turns to tournament football again. “We have to go defend what we achieved in Qatar, Martinez said. It’s going to be tough, but we’re going to give it everything to leave Argentina as high as possible.” That message reflects confidence, even as coaches manage fitness setbacks.

With the match against Iceland on the schedule as a key reference point, Argentina balance strong results with careful medical planning. Messi’s expected availability for Algeria, the possible inclusion of Senesi, and anticipated returns for Nico Paz, Julian Alvarez and Emiliano Martinez provide cautious optimism as the Argentina World Cup defence draws closer.