Messi's Fitness Check as Argentina Prepares for Egypt Clash

Lionel Messi faces a late fitness check as Argentina turn their attention to a World Cup last-16 tie with Egypt, with the holders still catching their breath after surviving a wild night against Cape Verde.

Messi battered, but still central

Argentina were pushed to the brink in Miami. A 3-2 extra-time win over Cape Verde was supposed to be routine; it turned into a test of nerve, endurance and, for Messi, durability.

The 39-year-old captain, now the figurehead of Inter Miami at club level, took a blow to the head in a collision yet stayed on for the full 120 minutes at the Hard Rock Stadium. He did more than just endure. He scored first.

On 29 minutes, Messi did what Messi has done for almost two decades: settled a jittery start with a moment of calm, opening the scoring for the defending champions and briefly restoring order. But this Argentina side, for all its quality, is discovering that nothing at this World Cup comes easily.

Deroy Duarte dragged Cape Verde level and forced extra time, punishing a lapse that jolted Lionel Scaloni’s team out of their comfort zone. The tension rose, the legs grew heavy, and the world champions suddenly looked mortal.

Extra-time chaos in Miami

The response came quickly once the additional 30 minutes began. Lautaro Martinez struck in the second minute of extra time, a poacher’s finish that felt like it might finally break Cape Verde’s resistance.

It didn’t.

Sidny Lopes Cabral equalised again, a dagger to Argentine composure and a reminder that the so-called minnows were not in Miami to make up the numbers. Every misplaced pass, every lost duel, drew a collective intake of breath from the stands.

The pressure finally told in the cruelest way for Cape Verde. In the 111th minute, Diney turned the ball into his own net, an agonising mistake that sent Argentina through to the last eight and left their opponents shattered. No late twist this time. Just relief for Scaloni and his players.

Next stop: Atlanta, Georgia, where Egypt await in the last 16. The champions are still standing, but they are carrying scars.

Injury concerns and a settled core

Messi’s head knock is the headline concern, and Argentina’s medical team will assess him right up to kick-off. Another issue surfaced in Miami as well: Facundo Medina was forced off, prompting fears of a muscular problem.

Scaloni moved quickly to ease those worries.

“He finished very tired because we also used him quite a bit in attack,” the Argentina coach said. “He ended up cramping, but he’s okay.”

Cramp, not a tear. Tiredness, not disaster. In a tournament that punishes any weakness, that diagnosis matters.

Despite the scares, Scaloni looks to have locked in his preferred XI. There is a clear Premier League spine to it. Emi Martinez, Aston Villa’s penalty specialist and serial big-moment performer, remains undisputed No1 in goal. In front of him, Cristian Romero and Lisandro Martinez form the core of the back four, a blend of aggression, timing and controlled chaos that has become central to Argentina’s defensive identity.

Across midfield, Scaloni leans on intelligence and industry out wide rather than traditional wingers. Rodrigo De Paul, a natural central midfielder, patrols one flank, while Thiago Almada, more of a classic No10 by trade, operates on the other. Both tuck in, both work, both feed the front line.

And that front line still revolves around Messi and Lautaro Martinez. It is the partnership Scaloni trusts when the stakes rise, even with the talent of Atletico Madrid’s unsettled forward Julian Alvarez waiting on the bench. Alvarez offers energy and movement, but for now, he waits his turn while the established duo shoulder the burden.

Argentina reach the last 16 bruised but unbowed. The champions know they must tighten up, manage the minutes of their 39-year-old genius and sharpen their control of games. Egypt will have watched Miami closely.

The question now is simple: how many more times can Messi drag this team through the fire?