Magical Lionel Messi notches goal & assist as Argentina thrash Zambia in Inter Miami star's emotional La Bombonera send-off

Argentina dominated in their final home warm-up game before the World Cup in June, Messi teeing up a goal for Julian Alvarez and scoring one himself after being handed a starting berth. After the break, Nicolas Otamendi scored from the penalty spot before a Zambia own goal and a Valentin Barco finish completed the 5-0 rout. This comprehensive victory allowed Messi to send off the Argentine fans with a perfect statement of intent before the team defend their global title in North America this summer.

The night also carried significant weight for Otamendi, who confirmed he will step away from international duty following the upcoming tournament. Speaking after the match and scoring his penalty, which Messi unselfishly handed over to him, the defender remarked: "There is no greater satisfaction than wearing the national team jersey. I am very happy to have had this send-off at home. It has been a long journey, one filled with many joys and some sorrows, for that is the nature of football. I leave with the feeling that I gave my all for the national team, always ready and willing to defend this jersey."

Despite the celebratory atmosphere, Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni remained focused on standards following a narrow, unconvincing win over Mauritania last week. He expressed relief at the improved performance, stating: "The important thing is that what happened the other day doesn't happen again. I think today it was shown that it was an accident and the team working together managed to play well."

Argentina will face a challenging World Cup Group J, featuring fixtures against Algeria, Austria, and Jordan. Scaloni must finalise his 26-man roster by the May 30 deadline, with a heavy emphasis on managing the physical conditions of his veteran core. All eyes will be on whether Messi makes the cut, with the Inter Miami superstar having yet to confirm his participation. The reigning champions will kick off their campaign against Algeria on June 16.

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