Argentina

Edgardo Bauza wants Lionel Messi to reverse Argentina retirement

By Giuseppe Labellarte, Reporter | 07 August 2016

New Argentina head coach Edgardo Bauza wants Lionel Messi to reverse his retirement from international football and will speak to the Barcelona forward about the matter.

New Argentina head coach Edgardo Bauza has expressed his desire to persuade Lionel Messi to reverse his retirement from international football.

The Barcelona forward made his decision in June after missing a penalty in the shootout as the Albiceleste lost to Chile in the Copa America Centenario, a third major final loss in as many years.

Bauza, who succeeds Gerardo Martino, is quoted by BBC Sport as saying: "My sole intention is to see if I can talk football with Messi. From that will come the possibility of him being called up in our next games.

"I want to tell him my idea and for him to tell me how things are with him and then we'll see what comes out of it.

"I have felt frustrated for losing a match or a final and understand that statement [of quitting] when you are overwhelmed with frustration, but I know it can be reversed."

Argentina face 2018 World Cup qualifiers at home to Uruguay and away to Venezuela in the first week of September.