Lionel Messi was absent from Argentina's squad for their pre-World Cup friendly match against Honduras, which took place on Saturday night. The star player is currently managing muscle fatigue and a mild strain in his left hamstring, according to team officials. Messi, who is approaching his 39th birthday, was present at Kyle Field on the Texas A&M campus and warmed up with his teammates, but remained on the bench for the entire match as Argentina secured a 2-0 victory.

Argentina's team has stated that Messi's recovery timeline is contingent on his "clinical and functional progress." The diagnosis of muscle fatigue in his left hamstring came from his Major League Soccer (MLS) club, Inter Miami, after he was substituted in the 73rd minute of their recent 6-4 win against Philadelphia.

The Albiceleste are set to play their final World Cup tune-up match against Iceland in Auburn, Alabama, on Tuesday. Following this, the team will travel to Kansas City for their training base, where they will commence their World Cup title defense against Algeria on June 16. Messi's participation in these upcoming fixtures remains uncertain as he continues his rehabilitation.

During recent training sessions in Kansas City on Wednesday, Messi was observed performing conditioning work separately from the rest of the squad, arriving after the team had begun their practice. Messi, widely anticipated to retire from international football after the tournament, holds the record for the most World Cup appearances with 26 matches. He is also four goals away from surpassing Miroslav Klose's all-time World Cup record of 16 goals.

Meanwhile, other major footballing nations also engaged in preparatory matches. Reigning champions Brazil and former winners Germany both secured narrow victories in their respective friendlies. England and Portugal also recorded wins as they fine-tune their squads for the global tournament.

These warm-up games featured several of football's biggest stars, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Vinícius Júnior, and Mohamed Salah. Brazil defeated Egypt 2-1, with goals from Bruno Guimarães and Endrick. Salah played the first half for Egypt and appeared to be in good form. However, Brazil's preparations were marred by a potential serious muscle injury to right-back Wesley, who left the field in tears and could be sidelined for the World Cup.

Harry Kane's first-half header was enough to give England a 1-0 victory over New Zealand. Portugal also emerged victorious in their friendly, though details of their opponent and score were not fully elaborated in the provided context.

The upcoming World Cup will see teams finalizing their rosters up to one day before their opening matches, allowing for potential last-minute changes due to unforeseen injuries. The focus remains on Messi's recovery and his potential impact on Argentina's quest to defend their title.