Argentina’s first open practice was first tangible sign the World Cup is in KC
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- It was Argentina’s first practice open to the media at Sporting KC’s facility.
- Lionel Messi did not take part in team drills and worked off to the side with a trainer.
- Heavy security and about 100 media members attended the open practice session.
The usual thump of a foot hitting a soccer ball filled the air Wednesday at the Compass Minerals National Performance Center.
But an unfamiliar voice could be heard over the sounds of the soccer practice at Sporting Kansas City’s training facility.
“Eso! Eso! Bien! Bien!”
It was Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni encouraging his team during a drill that involved dummy players, tight passing and scoring into a tiny goal. It was part of defending World Cup champion Argentina’s third practice session since arriving Sunday in Kansas City.
Argentina, which has made its base camp at Sporting’s facility, will be in Kansas City, where it will practice and reside. The team’s first game will be at Arrowhead Stadium (now called Kansas City Stadium by FIFA), and it could play two other matches here.
Aside from the foreign language being spoken, there were signs everywhere that this wasn’t a typical Sporting KC practice. A sharpshooter was on top of the complex, and high above him, a police helicopter hovered for much of the time the media was on site.
An officer rode the press bus to the facility, four police vehicles were stationed at the entrance, and more were scattered throughout. Some officers were outside the fences of the facility.
A hundred media members were allowed to watch the practice session, which involved a few drills and a scrimmage. Fifty were local reporters and the other half were granted access by Team Argentina.
One person watching practice read the Lord’s Prayer to his viewers, praying for good health for the players. And there were a number of live reports being beamed back to Argentina as training took place.
Some of the media from that nation wore the team’s familiar sky-blue-and-white jerseys. Others had T-shirts with Lionel Messi’s face on them.
Messi, who suffered a hamstring injury in Inter Miami CF’s last match, didn’t take part in the team drills or game. He worked off to the side with a trainer and seemed to be moving well, an indication he should be ready to play when Argentina opens World Cup play with a match against Algeria on June 16.
Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, who has a hand injury and is another concern for the team, took part in drills but still seemed limited.
This was the first practice open to the media, and it even drew Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, who hopped over state lines to watch. Having one of the world’s most famous teams is a huge deal for Kansas City — and England, the Netherlands and Algeria are still to arrive.
Nearly after four years after Kansas City was named a World Cup host city, Wednesday’s practice session was a huge deal, even if the training was light.
“We got a helicopter that’s been flying over since they got here, so I think that should tell you that this is a big deal, right?” Sporting KC president and CEO Jake Reid said. “I think for the 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, but it’s a massive deal.
“You’re talking about the most globally recognized player, the best player to ever lace it up, the defending champs for this tournament, and they’re training here in our backyard in Kansas City. And I think that’s a phenomenal testament to both states, both cities and a lot of people to put a lot of work into this.”
