The Barcelona forward announced his retirement from the worldwide game last month having lost the Copa América Centenario final to Chile on penalties, his third global final defeat in as many years.
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He added: “There are a lot of issues that need to be resolved in Argentine football, but I prefer to help from within and not to criticise from the outside”.
Edgardo Bauza has since replaced Gerardo Martino as head coach and, following talks with the new boss, Messi has elected to make himself available for forthcoming World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Venezuela, meaning he has not missed a senior worldwide. I don’t want to cause any harm.
Will Messi ever win a World Cup with Argentina?
The Barca superstar has announced his return to Argentina’s national team for their World Cup qualifiers in September, ending his two months retirement period from global football.
Bauza met with Messi in Barcelona this week hoping to convince him to rejoin the squad, and was due to announce his list of players for games against Uruguay on 1 September and Venezuela on 6 September.
“A lot of things ran through my head on the day of the [Copa America] final”, Messi explained. After the match, speaking to the media, the Little Man said, “The National team is over for me”.
As well as this year’s loss to Chile, the reigning FIFA Ballon d’Or also tasted defeat in the 2007 and 2015 Copa America finals, and in the 2014 World Cup final. “But I love my shirt and my country too much”, ESPN quoted Messi saying in the statement.
Messi is considered by most the best soccer player in the world, and at age 29 still should have many good years in front of him.
‘I’m grateful to all the people who wanted me to continue playing with Argentina, hopefully we can give them something to cheer about soon’.
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The squad also featured Manchester City trio Sergio Aguero, Pablo Zabaleta and Nicolas Otamendi, Manchester United pair Sergio Romero and Marcos Rojo plus Ramiro Funes Mori of Everton.
