Argentina plans Messi birthday surprise before Jordan clash

Lionel Messi marked his 39th birthday inside Argentina’s Kansas City camp with a locker-room surprise that mixed star power and everyday routine. He posted that “anoche arrancamos con una linda sorpresa” beside a birthday cake and a group shot with Rodrigo De Paul, Leandro Paredes, Lisandro Martínez, Giovani Lo Celso, Nahuel Molina, Nicolás Otamendi and kit man Marito De Stéfano. Messi also answered a social-media greeting from Antonela Roccuzzo, while De Paul had teased the celebration without giving away the details.

The birthday plans reached beyond the standard team photo. Messi’s celebration was set to continue at Hotel Origin, where Antonia Farías, the delegation cook who embraced him in Lusail during the 2022 World Cup, and Diego Iacovone, the man in charge of the grill and one of the rosarino’s favorite sources of asado, were part of the day. The scene showed how Argentina has built a room where the captain’s global status sits alongside the staff and habits that shape a tournament camp.

That bond came at a useful time. Argentina had already secured first place in Group J before facing Jordan on Saturday, June 27, at 11 p.m. Argentina time, and Lionel Scaloni was preparing an alternate lineup for the match. Emiliano Martínez and Messi were among the names in contention, while Nicolás Tagliafico was lined up at left back. Argentina arrived without conceding a goal in the tournament, and Messi, with five goals, remained the central draw even if he did not play the full 90 minutes.

Tagliafico’s return added another layer to the buildup. He had suffered a grade 1 tear in his left soleus on June 11 after carrying discomfort from the June 6 friendly against Honduras, then missed the opener against Algeria. His recovery put him back in position to start against Jordan, giving Scaloni another experienced option in a match that doubled as both a checkpoint and a tune-up for what followed.