Lionel Messi is expected to join the Argentina national team camp on Sunday after the match against Burkina Faso, in what could be his final appearance for the national team on home soil.
Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has confirmed that Messi is expected to arrive at the team’s training camp after the match, highlighting the significance of the occasion for the Argentine superstar.
“Leo Messi is expected to join the team on Sunday, after the match against Burkina Faso,” Scaloni said.
Scaloni revealed that he had made efforts to ensure Messi could be part of the occasion, stressing that a player of his stature deserves a moment like this.
“We knew everything he was going through, but despite that, he wanted to come and say goodbye to his people,” Scaloni said.
According to the Argentina coach, the farewell ceremony should take place now, as the future remains uncertain and such a moment may not have the same magic if it is postponed to another time.
Scaloni also revealed that he personally spoke with Messi in an attempt to convince him that this was the right moment, while the Argentine Football Association (AFA) and its president, Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia, also played a role in the process.
“It is something very beautiful, and Lionel Messi deserves it more than anyone,” Scaloni said.
If everything goes according to plan, the occasion will mark a symbolic farewell for Messi in Ezeiza, after more than 20 years with the Argentina national team and an extraordinary era in his international career.
