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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Ben Hayward

Barcelona star Lionel Messi returns to Argentina squad after serving three-month suspension

Messi in the Argentina fold. (Picture: Getty Images)

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has returned to the Argentina squad for the first time since the Copa America in June and July.

The 32-year-old last featured for his national team in the tournament's third and fourth place play-off against Chile in Sao Paulo, but was sent off after 36 minutes following a clash with Gary Medel and subsequently handed a three-month ban for his controversial comments about CONMEBOL after the match.

Having missed the friendlies against Chile, Mexico and Germany, Messi is now eligible to return and has been included in Lionel Scaloni's squad for the games against Brazil and Uruguay.

Argentina meet Brazil in Saudi Arabia on November 15 and Uruguay in Tel Aviv four days later in two friendly fixtures in the last international break until March, when South American World Cup qualifying starts.

Messi has 68 goals in 136 games for Argentina, but is still seeking a trophy for the Albiceleste's senior side, having lost four finals in his international career.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner, who won an Under-20 World Cup in 2005 and an Olympic gold with the U-23 side in 2008, will be 35 when the 2022 World Cup kicks off in Qatar.

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