Scaloni Opens Door to Messi Minutes; Pochettino Finds Silver Lining in USMNT's German Defeat

Argentina's preparations for the tournament received a boost on Friday when boss Lionel Scaloni revealed that Lionel Messi has progressed to partial training with the squad, opening the possibility of limited involvement in the scheduled friendlies ahead of the World Cup.

Speaking ahead of Argentina's warm-up fixtures, Scaloni confirmed that his talismanic forward was recovering well and no longer isolating completely from the group. However, the Argentina chief made clear that protecting his star asset remained paramount, with the tournament looming.

"Leo is progressing nicely. He's already training partially with the group, which is an important milestone. He's no longer completely separated," Scaloni explained to the media.

While stopping short of guaranteeing Messi's appearance, the manager suggested it was conceivable the forward might see some minutes across the two friendlies on the horizon.

"It's possible he could feature in one of the matches, getting some game time in these two friendlies — but he's in a much better place and that's reassuring for us," Scaloni added.

The Argentina coach also highlighted that several other players were being managed carefully, with World Cup readiness taking precedence over friendly fixture availability.

"Naturally, we're not going to gamble with them in these matches," he said.

Across the Atlantic, the United States encountered a setback in their final World Cup warm-up, falling 2-1 to Germany at Soldier Field in Chicago. Yet despite the defeat, USMNT boss Mauricio Pochettino struck an optimistic tone about his team's display.

Germany made a lightning-quick start when Kai Havertz headed home Joshua Kimmich's free kick within two minutes. The Americans, however, struck back with a spectacular equaliser courtesy of Antonee Robinson before Leroy Sane restored the Germans' advantage in the 57th minute.

Speaking after the loss, Pochettino praised his side's response and competitive spirit against one of football's traditional powerhouses.

"I thought overall it was a solid showing. I'm pleased with how everyone performed. We faced one of the world's elite sides," Pochettino told reporters.

"We should take that as a positive. We competed, we were unfortunate, and it was an evenly-matched contest… It was a valuable test for us to gauge our reactions, our character, our unity, and how we handle ourselves under pressure."

The manager also reflected on the demanding schedule leading into the tournament, suggesting careful management would be essential as the squad prepares to face Paraguay on 12 June at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

"We've pushed the players hard over the past fortnight. I've noticed fatigue creeping in across the group," Pochettino explained.

"Now we need to monitor the workload carefully and be smart about how we build towards the Paraguay fixture — arriving fresh, energised, and in peak condition."