On a night that the rain nearly stole, Lionel Messi put the smile back on Argentina's face. Twenty minutes on the pitch at Auburn, Alabama, were all it took to confirm what everyone needed to hear the man is fine, and the defending champions are heading to the World Cup with their engines fully running.
Three goals without reply against Iceland, and a deeply reassuring return for the captain after more than two weeks out with a left Achilles tendon problem. Messi, playing his 199th international at the age of 38, showed no trace of the injury instead delighting the crowd with those impossibly delicate touches that belong to him alone, before capping his cameo with a penalty goal and a decisive assist for the third.
Before his arrival, young Valentín Barco (21) had set the tone with a sharp finish at the near post in the 8th minute his second international goal. Lautaro Martínez then became the driving force of the second half, involved in every dangerous moment even if the net eluded him personally, while Thiago Almada sealed the win in the 86th minute from Messi's final touch of the evening.
Iceland who failed to qualify for the World Cup and arrived seeking to recapture the spark of Euro 2024 nearly caused an early stir through Elírtsson's shot in the 4th minute, before succumbing to comprehensive Argentine control that Scaloni managed with the calm authority of a coach who knows exactly what he has.
There are minor concerns: Julián Álvarez continues his recovery from an ankle injury, and Palacios picked up a calf problem in training this week. But the broader picture remains one of quiet confidence.
Kansas City awaits. The date is set for the night of June 16-17 against Algeria the opening fixture of Group 10, which also includes Austria and Jordan.
Argentina arrive at the big stage knowing exactly what they want.
And the King is back.
