Messi scores in Argentina's Final World Cup Warm-up

Lionel Messi eased injury concerns by scoring in Argentina’s 3-0 warm-up victory over Iceland on Tuesday, just days before the expanded 48-team World Cup kicks off across the US, Canada and Mexico.

Returning from a hamstring injury, the 38-year-old captain came off the bench for the final 20 minutes in front of an 88,000-capacity crowd. His quick impact led to a penalty, which he confidently converted, signaling his readiness to lead the defending champions. Argentina will face Algeria in their opening match on June 16 in Kansas City.

However, off-field controversies continue to overshadow Thursday's tournament kickoff.

In a major incident, top African referee Omar Artan of Somalia had his World Cup dream shattered after being denied entry at the US border. Despite holding a valid visa, Artan was detained at Miami International Airport for hours before being deported to Turkey.

A US State Department official alleged Artan had ties to "suspected members of terrorist organizations," making him ineligible for entry. Artan, who would have been the first Somali to referee at a World Cup, firmly denied the accusations. "I'm just simply a referee trying to live his dream," a disappointed Artan told reporters.

Meanwhile, the tournament's opening match in Mexico City faces potential disruption. Thousands of protesting teachers have blocked routes leading to the Estadio Azteca, where host nation Mexico plays South Africa on Thursday.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum labeled the demonstrations a "provocation" aimed at embarrassing the country globally. However, she assured fans that the opening game is "guaranteed" to proceed and ruled out using police force to repress the protests.

As the host nations finalize preparations, the US men's team is adopting a tougher mindset. Ahead of their Friday opener against Paraguay in Los Angeles, coach Mauricio Pochettino urged his squad to embrace football's "dark arts." Midfielder Cristian Roldan echoed his manager, noting the team needs to play closer to the edge of the rules and stop being "too honest" on the pitch.