Although undergoing recovery, Messi's magic shines on the pitch with several key passes and one penalty scored. Argentina wins over Iceland to round up the final match before the World Cup starts.
2026 Friendlies
3-0
Match Report:
Argentina secure a convincing 3-0 victory over Iceland in their final warm-up game before the FIFA World Cup. La Albiceleste survived an early scare when Iceland squandered a sitter in the opening minutes, but Valentin Barco quickly punished the lapse, opening the scoring in the 8th minute with a stunning strike from outside the box. Argentina's talismanic number 10, Lionel Messi, made an instant impact just seconds after coming on. His precise pass picked out Lautaro Martinez to win a penalty, and Messi made no mistake from the spot to double Argentina's advantage. Thiago Almada then wrapped up the definitive 3-0 scoreline, slotting home the third goal after a brilliant, fluid passing play between Messi and Martinez carved open the Icelandic defence.
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
3' Match Event for Argentina vs Iceland
8' GOAL! Argentina 1-0 Iceland (Valentín Barco)
18' Highlight from Argentina vs Iceland
23' Highlight from Argentina vs Iceland
30' Highlight from Argentina vs Iceland
41' Highlight from Argentina vs Iceland
49' Highlight from Argentina vs Iceland
57' Match Event for Argentina vs Iceland
60' Highlight from Argentina vs Iceland
62' Highlight from Argentina vs Iceland
63' Highlight from Argentina vs Iceland
70' Match Event for Argentina vs Iceland
72' Penalty Goal! Argentina 2-0 Iceland (Lionel Messi)
86' GOAL! Argentina 3-0 Iceland (Thiago Almada)
Line-ups
Argentina XI: Otamendi, Gerónimo Rulli, Lo Celso, Exequiel Palacios, Facundo Medina, Lisandro Martinez, José Manuel López, Giuliano Simeone, Valentín Barco, Nico Paz, Agustín Giay
Subs: Messi, De Paul, Musso, Lautaro, Gonzalo Montiel, Molina, Cristian Romero, N. Gonzalez, Mac Allister, Thiago Almada, Alvarez, Nicolás Capaldo, Enzo, Santiago Beltrán, Ignacio Ovando
Iceland XI: Magnusson, Victor Pálsson, Daníel Leó Grétarsson, Albert Gudmundsson, Logi Tómasson, Elías Ólafsson, Mikael Egill Ellertsson, Baldursson, Ísak Jóhannesson, Orri Óskarsson, Hákon Arnar Haraldsson
Subs: A. Gunnarsson, Sigurdsson, Hjörtur Hermannsson, Anton Ari Einarsson, Arnór Sigurdsson, Hákon Valdimarsson, Kristall Máni Ingason, Jón Dagur Thorsteinsson, Dagur Dan Thórhallsson, Kristian Hlynsson, Gísli Thórdarson, Daníel Gudjohnsen