Lionel Messi rates Argentina's chances of defending their World Cup title

Argentina captain Lionel Messi spoke about his team's chances of defending their World Cup title following their final warm-up match against Iceland (3-0). The Inter Miami star came off the bench in the second half to score and break a long-standing international record for his country. This is reported by Goal.com .

Coming on in the 70th minute at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Alabama, Lionel Messi converted a penalty to extend the lead. This goal marked his 117th for the national team. After the match, Messi gave an interview to TyC Sports regarding his physical condition: "I was looking forward to getting on the pitch. I felt great and overcame the fear after the injury. Now we have a week to prepare for the opening match," the forward said.

At 38 years, 11 months, and 14 days old, Lionel Messi officially became the oldest player to score for the Albiceleste. The previous record had belonged to the legendary Angel Labruna since 1957. The match against Iceland was also Messi's 199th official appearance for Argentina, further cementing his status as the most-capped player in the country's history.

The captain emphasized that the team's mentality has not changed since the victory in Qatar. Ahead of the opening group stage match against Algeria, he noted the team's high desire to win: "I always get very excited at the start of a tournament, especially before a World Cup. This group never lets the fans down. We are a team of winners who always want more," added Lionel Messi.