Argentina’s new coach Edgardo Bauza said he was optimistic he can convince Lionel Messi to come out of worldwide retirement after meeting the five-time World Player of the Year.
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Messi says there are “a lot of problems in Argentine football” but he prefers “to help from within and not criticize from the outside”.
The Barcelona playmaker announced immediately after Argentina’s penalty shoot-out loss to Chile in the Copa America final in June that he was calling time on his Albiceleste career. “I’ve always wanted the opposite and wanted to help the team the best I could”. “But I love my shirt and my country too much”, ESPN quoted Messi saying in the statement.
Two out of the three came in consecutive Copa America finals and one in the World Cup final against Germany.
Messi has played over 110 games for the Argentine national team after making his debut at the tender age of 17.
Star striker Lionel Messi will return to play for the Argentine national team for “love” of his country, despite earlier vowing to retire, he said in a statement on August 12, 2016.
Messi blasted his spot kick over the bar as Argentina were defeated on penalties, leaving the skipper distraught.
Messi’s father, Jorge Horacio, also took to Instagram to post a picture of an Argentina shirt with his son’s name on the back accompanied by the caption “how attractive it is”.
Argentina are preparing for September qualifiers against Uruguay and Venezuela, and Friday is the CONMEBOL deadline to name the 18-man squad for the matches.
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“I think Messi is going to say no to Bauza”. Bauza was appointed last month and while he said that his job was much more than convincing Messi to return, he also made a point of visiting the superstar to speak about his global status right away. “Hopefully we can give the fans some happiness soon”.
