Argentina vs Iceland result: Barco and Messi goals give Argentina 3-0 win over Iceland in World Cup warmup
Argentina wrapped up World Cup prep with a 3-0 win over Iceland on Tuesday. The game was in Auburn, Alabama at Jordan-Hare Stadium. 88,000 fans turned up. Scaloni picked a mixed lineup and gave young guys a run.
Valentín Barco scored early. Lionel Messi came on late and did what he does. One penalty, one assist, game over. Iceland tried to hang in but the world champs were too much.
Match Intro
Argentina won 3-0 against Iceland in their last friendly before the 2026 World Cup. Kickoff was Tuesday, June 9 at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn. Scaloni rotated the squad to test depth.
Barco put Argentina up in the 7th minute with a clean volley. Messi started on the bench because of a small muscle issue. He came on at 67 minutes and changed the game. He scored from the spot and set up the third. Iceland didn’t qualify for the World Cup, but they pushed for stretches.
First Half Summary
The rain before kickoff killed the tempo. Both teams slipped and misplaced passes. Scaloni started kids and backups. Iceland sat in a low block and waited to hit on the break. They had a massive miss in minute one, right before Barco scored. That chance summed up their night.
Argentina had most of the ball, but space was tight. Then Barco hit it. The ball fell outside the box and he volleyed it for the first time. Elías Ólafsson had no chance. 1-0 in the 7th minute. After that Argentina knocked it around. Iceland defended deep and tried to counter. Barco got booked. So did Lautaro. The half ended 1-0. Cagey but Argentina looked in control.
Argentina vs Iceland: Turning Point
Everything shifted at 67 minutes. Messi stripped off and came on during the cooling break. Scaloni didn’t want to risk him for long but needed a spark. He got it. Iceland’s back line looked solid for an hour.
Then Messi started finding pockets. He slid a pass to Lautaro and the striker was pulled down. Penalty. Messi took it in the 71st minute and rolled it into the bottom corner. 2-0. You could feel Iceland drop.
Ten minutes later Messi started another move. One-two with De Paul, ball to Almada, tap in. 3-0. That 15-minute spell from Messi killed the game. That was the turning point.
Goals and Key Moments
7’ Barco volleys in from range after a loose ball. 1-0
57’ Argentina wasted a clear chance. Should have been 2-0 there
62’ Ball smacks the woodwork for Argentina
67’ Messi comes on to manage his muscle
71’ Penalty to Argentina. Messi steps up and slots it low. 2-0
85’ Quick passing. Messi to De Paul to Almada. Tap in. 3-0
Missed: Iceland missed sitter in the first minute. Gudjohnsen heads wide late
Cards: Eight yellows. Barco and Lautaro for Argentina. Six for Iceland.
Player Performance
Man of the match: Lionel Messi. 20 minutes. That’s all he needed. Penalty scored. Pre-assist for Almada. He saw passes nobody else did. If he can do that by managing fatigue, Argentina fans will sleep easy.
Best Argentina starter: Valentín Barco. Scored the opener and worked hard down the left. Got subbed at halftime but did his job. Volleys don’t come cleaner.
Struggled: Orri Óskarsson. Iceland’s striker couldn’t hold the ball up. Lost it every time Argentina’s center backs pressed him. He went off in the 82nd minute. Jón Dagur off the bench was better for Iceland.
What It Means
Argentina beat Iceland 3-0 and that’s a wrap on friendlies. The big takeaway is Messi. He looked sharp even after the injury scare. If he can impact games in 20-minute bursts, Scaloni has options.
Argentina opens their World Cup on June 16 vs Algeria in Kansas City. Iceland goes home proud but without a World Cup spot. They made Argentina work for an hour. That’s something. For Argentina, the result matters less than Messi’s legs. They look ready.
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