06/03/26 08:10:00
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06/03 20:09 CDT Argentina's World Cup title defense draws a frenzy in Kansas
City as Messi nurses a hamstring strain
Argentina's World Cup title defense draws a frenzy in Kansas City as Messi
nurses a hamstring strain
By DAVE SKRETTA
AP Sports Writer
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) --- Turns out that reigning World Cup champion Argentina
draws quite a crowd no matter where it goes.
Whether it be fans surrounding the team's upscale hotel near downtown Kansas
City, or their first training session opened to media Wednesday that drew
hundreds of reporters to the facilities of Major League Soccer club Sporting
Kansas City, there are few places that Lionel Messi and the rest of La
Albiceleste are not the center of attention as the tournament draws near.
They begin their title defense against Algeria at Arrowhead Stadium on June 16.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni revealed his 26-man World Cup roster last week.
It is headlined by Messi, who turns 39 in less than a month, and features 17
players that were on the team that triumphed four years ago against France in
the final in Qatar.
Messi has been dealing with muscle fatigue and a mild strain in his left
hamstring. The team has said his recovery time will depend on "his clinical and
functional progress," though it seems unlikely that he will participate in its
upcoming friendlies.
He came to the practice field after the rest of the team on Wednesday and did
some conditioning work off to the side.
Argentina did not make any players or coaches available to speak to reporters.
The team will continue training in Kansas City until it departs for the first
of two World Cup tune-up matches against Honduras on Saturday in College
Station, Texas.
The team plays Iceland in Auburn, Alabama, three days later before resuming its
training in Kansas City.
Most of the players arrived at the team's home base Sunday aboard a charter
from Buenos Aires designed to pay homage to the nation's rich World Cup
history. The flight number 1978 was a nod to the year it beat the Netherlands
to win the title, and the A330 was trimmed with special livery that included
the national team colors and Messi's No. 10 on the tail.
Messi joined the team on a separate charter from Florida a few hours later.
The entire roster got a dose of Midwestern hospitality from hundreds of fans
who waited outside the Origin Hotel to greet them, then they got a big taste of
summer life in tornado alley when sirens sounded after midnight and a heavy
storm rolled through.
High winds and lashing rain knocked over several tents and fences that had been
put up for security.
"When they pick you as their training site for defending the World Cup, and
this is where they are for the next --- you know, hopefully through the end of
the tournament --- it's surreal," said Jake Reid, the president and CEO of
Sporting Kansas City, who watched the open training session with a series of
dignitaries that included Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas.
"When they landed on Sunday," Reid said, "it started to get real for sure."
Weather notwithstanding, the central location of Kansas City has made it a
favorable destination for World Cup base camps.
England had hoped to use the home of Sporting KC for training, but Argentina
was given preference as defending champion and scooped it up. The Three Lions
stuck with their plans to make Kansas City their base, but when they arrive
next week, they will be practicing at Sporting KC's old primary facility at the
Swope Soccer Village.
The Netherlands, which also will arrive next week, will be training at the home
of the Kansas City Current, one of the top teams in the National Women's Soccer
League. Algeria is making its base at the University of Kansas, about 30
minutes west of the Kansas City metro area, where one of Africa's top teams
will have the use of its new soccer facilities.
As for Argentina, the team has been practicing in the evening to avoid the heat
and humidity of Midwestern summers. The weather has been mild so far, with
temperatures in the low 80s, but the heat index typically pushes triple digits
this time of year.
The six matches at Arrowhead Stadium --- four in the group stage, two in the
knockout --- will be played at night for the same reason.
"I mean, we've had a helicopter flying ever since (Argentina) got here. That
should tell you this is a big deal, right? " Reid said. "I think for Kansas
City to have Argentina here --- and we're not even talking about the other
teams that are going to be here in the next couple of weeks --- it's a massive
deal." -__
AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
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