Lionel Messi is back in the Argentine national team as they prepare for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela and Bolivia. According to Naija News, Argentina’s head coach Lionel Scaloni announced a 27-player roster on Thursday, with Messi being the standout inclusion.
Currently, Argentina is at the top of the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying standings, boasting 18 points from eight matches. The team recently celebrated a 3-0 victory over Chile but faced a setback with a 2-1 loss to Colombia in their last outing.
Argentina will take on sixth-ranked Venezuela on October 10 and then host eighth-ranked Bolivia on October 15. The top six teams from CONMEBOL will earn automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup, while the seventh-placed team will enter an inter-confederation playoff for a chance to compete in the tournament.
Messi has been sidelined from international play for two months due to a right ankle injury sustained during the final of the 2024 Copa América against Colombia on July 14. He made his return to the pitch for Inter Miami on September 14 and has since been regaining form for the upcoming qualifiers.
In other sports news, the Super Eagles of Nigeria are set to resume camp for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Libya. The camp will open in Uyo on Sunday, with the team based at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel in Ikot Ekpene.
Coach Augustine Eguavoen is expected to announce his squad for the matches this week. The Super Eagles will host Libya at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Friday, October 11, before traveling to Benina for the away fixture on October 15. Currently, Nigeria tops Group D with four points from two games, and the upcoming matches offer an opportunity to strengthen their position in the qualifying campaign.
Libya’s team, managed by Nasser Al-Hadiri, will arrive in Uyo on Monday, aiming to secure a crucial result on Nigerian soil as they sit at the bottom of Group D with just one point from two matches.