College Station, Texas — For Argentina fans wey dey Texas, di dream don come true. Gisella Sericano climb ontop pickup truck for Reed Arena parking lot, use her phone camera and WhatsApp to video call her family back for Argentina. From dat small height, she see Argentina national team dey practice for Texas A&M Ellis Field. Her family for Argentina see grainy video of dia home team for College Station.
“My family don come visit us here,” Sericano talk. “But I never imagine say Argentina go dey Bryan-College Station, dey play for Kyle Field tomorrow. I never fit dream am.”
More than 100,000 fans go gather for Saturday match as Argentina dey warm up for 2026 World Cup against Honduras for Kyle Field, home of Texas A&M football. All eyes go dey search for Argentina superstar Lionel Messi, wey dey nurse hamstring injury wey e suffer for 73rd minute of im last Inter Miami game before World Cup break. Miami win dat match 6-4, while Messi dey treated for locker room.
Despite injury, Messi don train full with di team for Kansas City and for Ellis Field. Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni talk say Messi dey do well, say e fit play small minutes for Saturday match. “Leo dey do well,” Scaloni talk for Spanish. “E don train part of session with di group, wey important. E no dey completely separate again, so e dey do well. E fit even play small minutes for one of these two friendlies. We go see if na tomorrow or di other one, but e dey better and dat give us peace of mind.”
Argentina go finish dia World Cup warm-up tour on June 9 for Auburn Jordan-Hare Stadium against Iceland. If dem win both matches, dem go carry seven-game winning streak into dia first pool-play match on June 16 against Algeria for Kansas City.
Argentina get more injury worries besides Messi. Forwards Nico Paz, Nico Gonzalez and Thiago Almada, defenders Gonzalo Montiel and Nahuel Molina, plus goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, all dey carry knocks. Some of dem don dey train away from main squad. Scaloni talk say dem dey improve, but dem no go risk dem for these friendlies. “Logically, we no want to risk dem for these games, and di idea be say dem no go take part for these two friendlies — for dis one for sure no. For di second, maybe one of dem fit play,” e yarn.
Scaloni no name individual players wey no go participate tomorrow, but e name goalkeeper Juan Musso as starter for Saturday. Argentina dey look for fourth win over Honduras for four matches. Dem last beat Honduras 3-0 for 2022.
Beyond Saturday, Messi go participate for im sixth career World Cup, new record for individual player. E go likely share record with Portugal Cristiano Ronaldo and Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa. But for fans like Sericano and young Diego Alanis, wey travel 400 miles from McAllen to see Messi, di excitement dey too much. “I never think I go get dis close to am,” Alanis talk. When bus wey carry Messi drive pass dem, Alanis grin wide: “I no know if I go sleep tonight.”
Kyle Field, wey seat 102,733 people, go likely host di biggest crowd of Messi career, small pass Barcelona Camp Nou wey seat 99,354. Texas A&M athletic director Trev Alberts talk say dis na unique opportunity to bring new people to campus. “More than 8% of Argentina population for US dey live for Texas, many for Houston metro, only one hour from College Station. Honduran population even bigger, more than 240,000 dey Texas,” e add.
Soccer analyst Nico Cantor talk say Argentina dey play like Harlem Globetrotter style since dem win World Cup, because dem get Messi. “Argentina playing for college football stadium mimic dat energy. Na right team for right time to replicate college football atmosphere with World Cup vibes,” e yarn.
Former Texas A&M soccer star Addie McCain, wey now play for Lexington SC, talk say she dey awe of Messi. “E dey phenomenal, best player for world for my opinion. Just to say I see Messi play na super cool,” she yarn. She go one of im first Inter Miami matches for 2024.
Argentina match for Kyle Field and Auburn Jordan-Hare Stadium na appetizer before World Cup start June 11 for United States. Di last American World Cup for 1994 spark MLS formation and soccer growth. Advocates hope dis moment go change landscape of soccer for US. “Dis na massive moment for history of sport for our country,” Cantor talk. “E fit be transcendental. E go change di landscape of soccer for dis country.”
