Fit Messi ready for record sixth World Cup as Argentina face Algeria opener

KANSAS CITY, United States (AFP) — Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni says the planet will be watching when the reigning champions kick off their World Cup run against Algeria on Tuesday, with Lionel Messi in line for a historic sixth tournament appearance.

Messi arrives four years after captaining Argentina to victory in Qatar. The 38-year-old raised fitness worries last month when he exited Inter Miami's 6-4 victory over Philadelphia with muscle fatigue. He has since bounced back, scoring from the penalty spot during a strong 20-minute substitute outing in Argentina's final pre-tournament friendly win over Iceland last week.

"Everyone wants to see him out on the pitch, not just Argentinians, because of the impact he has on people," Scaloni said at his pre-match press conference. "He has always been crucial for us and now he will be even more so. He looks good."

Centre-back Nicolas Otamendi, who has shared much of Messi's international journey and will feature in his fourth World Cup, offered equally warm praise. "He's a competitive animal," Otamendi said. "He makes you keep trying, he doesn't let you relax. We enjoy every moment with him. He is a humble person who enjoys the team gatherings and training sessions."

Scaloni also flagged earlier concerns over goalkeeper Emi Martinez and forward Julian Alvarez, though both are expected to start in Kansas City.

Argentina fell in their opening match to Saudi Arabia at the last World Cup before rallying to lift the trophy for a third time. Scaloni said that experience has eased pressure on the first fixture. "The last World Cup taught us that the opening game isn't decisive. It's important, sure, but we have the peace of mind of knowing it doesn't end there," he said. "We're about to face a very good team with great players, but we're in good shape, we're confident and we're arriving in good form."

African teams have already signalled their strength in the expanded 48-nation tournament. Debutants Cape Verde held Spain to a 0-0 draw on Monday, while Morocco earned a 1-1 result against five-time champions Brazil.

Scaloni drew a direct line between those results and Tuesday's opponent. "Algeria is an opponent similar to Morocco. They have great players and a great coach," he said. "The Brazil-Morocco match is a good example of why we can't be overconfident. We've already seen with Spain that there are no easy opponents. Those teams have earned their place at the World Cup, and Algeria concerns us because they are a great team."