Revealed: Unique perk that Messi enjoys in Argentina squad

Argentina v Mauritania - International Friendly

Argentina legend Lionel Messi is receiving special treatment at the team's training camp ahead of the 2026 World Cup in North America. As he prepares to lead his nation in a record-breaking sixth tournament, the Inter Miami star has been granted a unique luxury not given to anyone else in the squad, allowing him to focus entirely on defending the crown they won in Qatar.

Preferential treatment for the captain

Messi has been granted his own private room for the duration of the tournament. While the rest of the squad share accommodation, the 38-year-old is staying by himself in room 202 at their Kansas City base, conveniently located next door to close friends Rodrigo De Paul and Nicolas Otamendi. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner previously shared a room with Sergio Aguero until the Manchester City legend was forced to retire. During the successful 2022 campaign, the captain also requested to room alone, a tradition he has opted to continue as Argentina aim to defend their title across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

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Fitness concerns ahead of the tournament

However, there have been some minor worries regarding the forward's fitness heading into the upcoming fixtures. Fans experienced a massive scare in May when he was withdrawn during Inter Miami's thrilling 6-4 victory over the Philadelphia Union. Following the match, the club revealed that their talisman had specifically requested to be substituted after experiencing "muscle fatigue in his left hamstring".

Head coach Lionel Scaloni noted that the medical reports on his star player were not "too bad", but the coaching staff have understandably remained cautious. Consequently, the veteran attacker was seen training on his own away from the main group on Monday to ensure he is fully prepared for the challenges ahead.

Squad preparations and absentees

Argentina have been drawn in Group J for the showpiece event alongside Algeria, Austria and tournament debutants Jordan. Scaloni announced his 26-man squad, notably omitting nine players from the triumphant 2022 crop, including rising stars like Alejandro Garnacho and Franco Mastantuono, as well as experienced forward Paulo Dybala.

The national team have been working hard to manage fitness levels across the board, with several other players including Emiliano Martinez, Leandro Paredes and Nico Gonzalez also completing specific individual sessions. Despite these slight hurdles, the reigning champions have been bolstered by the news that Julian Alvarez and Cristian Romero are fully fit for their upcoming warm-up matches.

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What next for Argentina?

La Albiceleste have upcoming friendlies against Honduras and Iceland as they finalise their tournament preparations. Scaloni's men will then kick off the defence of their crown against Algeria on June 16 in Kansas City. They return to action on June 22 against Austria in Texas, before concluding their group stage schedule against Jordan on June 27.