June 7, 2026<\/a><\/p>\nAfter what seemed like an eternity waiting outside Argentina\u2019s locker room in Kyle Field \u2014 the visiting locker room for A&M game days \u2014 Messi emerged and was directed toward the Aggie quarterback. Reed shook his hand and posed for a photo with Messi before handing the forward his Aggie jersey. Messi received the gift and gave Reed another handshake before making his way out of the stadium.<\/p>\n
The jersey was signed by Reed in the No. 10, with a message that said, \u201cTo Leo, Gig \u2018Em!\u201d<\/p>\n
Looking on from the side was a group of Aggie football players who included running back Reuben Owens II.<\/p>\n
Messi, who is recovering from a hamstring injury suffered in his last Inter Miami game before the World Cup break, did not see any minutes in Saturday\u2019s 2-0 Argentina victory over Honduras. However, those Aggie football players and the other 90,000 fans were treated to plenty of action on the pitch.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe game itself, I think, was positive,\u201d Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni said after the game. \u201cWe came through it against a good opponent and with all the difficulty that comes with going out on the pitch knowing that they\u2019re playing for a place at the World Cup and with all the news going around about injuries on other teams \u2014 you see that. You feel it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Honduras, which did not qualify for the World Cup, only saw 28.4% of possession in the game, but was able to frustrate the offense of the defending world champions throughout long spells of play. They defended with five on the back line and played a compact formation in the middle of the field, crowding the penalty box.<\/p>\n
It took Argentina 37 minutes to find the back of the net and that was by way of the penalty spot. Honduras\u2019 Gristopher Melendez fouled Argentina\u2019s Nicolas Tagliafico in the box and was judged by VAR to have committed a penalty. Argentina\u2019s Lautaro Martinez slotted a shot from the spot into the bottom left corner of the net for the opening tally of the game.<\/p>\n
Before the goal, Argentina winger Giovani Lo Celso ripped a shot from distance that beat Honduras goalkeeper Edrick Menjivar to the back corner of the net, but the ball clanked off the crossbar and remained in play.<\/p>\n
Minutes after the goal, Martinez attempted a bicycle kick from the right side of the box, but it sailed just over the crossbar, landing on the top of the net.<\/p>\n
Argentina wouldn\u2019t strike again until the 54th minute, when Martinez craftily back-heeled a pass to Guilano Simeone at the top of the six-yard box. Menjivar had no chance at the close-range shot placed to his left side.<\/p>\n
Throughout the game, Messi sat on Argentina\u2019s bench, arms crossed while watching the action in front of him. At times, he leaned over and joked with fellow teammates. Every time his face was projected on Kyle Field\u2019s big screens, the pro-Argentina crowd roared with excitement.<\/p>\n
Messi was one of many players recovering from injury on Argentina\u2019s squad, which gave the team\u2019s younger players a chance at more minutes Saturday. Defender Leonardo Balerdi was ruled out of the World Cup before Saturday\u2019s game due to a right calf injury, according to Scaloni.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll of the kids who came on, all of them fill us with enormous excitement,\u201d Scaloni said.<\/p>\n
After two days in College Station, Argentina will make its way to Auburn, Ala., to face Iceland in its final World Cup warmup. They begin their quest to repeat as World Cup champions June 16 against Algeria in Kansas City. Should they accomplish the feat, they would be the first team since Brazil in 1958 and 1962 to claim back-to-back titles.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not thinking about repeating,\u201d Scaloni said. \u201cThat\u2019s not in our heads. When we went to Qatar, we weren\u2019t thinking only about being world champions. Here, we\u2019re thinking about competing, about going out to play every match the same way and that leads you to be competitive and to be seen in a certain way by everyone. But never to set that as the sole objective, because if you set that objective, maybe you won\u2019t play the way you have to play.\u201d<\/p>\n
Though no players spoke to media after the win, the smiles on their faces as they left Kyle Field and boarded the team bus told most of the story.<\/p>\n
The grin on Reed\u2019s face after shaking hands with soccer royalty mirrored, if not surpassed, those of the players who won Saturday\u2019s match.<\/p>\n
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