Duran leads Al Nassr past Yokohama Marinos into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Al Ahli cruise past Buriram into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi Arabia offers condolences to Iran following deadly Bandar Abbas port explosion    Saudi Arabia welcomes Palestinian leadership reforms, appointment of Hussein Al-Sheikh    Ministry of Hajj issued over 150,000 Nusuk cards for the Hajj of 2025    Saudi Arabia deports 12,866 illegal residents in a week    Pope Francis laid to rest at historic funeral in Rome    Massive explosion at Iran's Shahid Rajaee Port injures over 500 people    SFDA clears first 44-ton medical shipment for Hajj pilgrims    Over 13 million worshipers pray at Rawdah Sharif in a year    Saudi orchestra to perform at Sydney Opera House in May    Al Hilal thrash Gwangju to reach AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Nammos Amala Resort to open soon with Saudi-Greek designs    Saudi Arabia completes 674 Vision 2030 initiatives, achieves 93% of KPIs as ninth-year milestone marked    GACA chief chairs 16th meeting of the Steering Committee on aviation's strategy    Alkhorayef praises advancements in Al-Kharj food industries sector    Saudi Theater Commission launches its Work and Learn Project in UK    The season has begun — and one comment shook us all    Average life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to78.8 years    Famed Philippine film star Nora Aunor dies at 71    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Messi back for Argentina
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 14 - 08 - 2016

Lionel Messi has announced that he will play on for Argentina, reversing his decision in June to retire from international soccer.
The Barcelona forward said he would not play for Argentina again after the team lost to Chile in the final of the Copa America in the United States.
However, in a statement Friday, Messi explained that he wanted to continue representing his country as he preferred "to help from within."
"I consider there to be a lot of problems in Argentine football and it's not my intention to create another one," the 29-year-old said.
"There are a lot of issues that need to be resolved in Argentine football but I prefer to help from within and not to criticize from the outside.
"A lot of things went through my mind on the night of the final and I gave serious thought to quitting but my love for my country and this shirt is too great," the player said.
A few hours later Messi was named in new coach Edgardo Bauza's squad to face Uruguay and Venezuela in 2018 World Cup, South American qualifiers to be held in the first week of September.
Bauza, who replaced Gerardo Martino after he quit in July over the FA's failure to prepare a strong under-23 team for the Rio Olympics, was in Barcelona Thursday for a meeting with his team captain.
Messi, who has scored a national record 55 goals in 113 appearances, has lost four major finals with Argentina, three in the last two years including the 2014 World Cup final to Germany in Brazil.
The June reverse in New Jersey was the second successive Copa America penalty shootout defeat by Chile in 12 months.
Messi, unhappy with the Argentine FA's running of the team, planned to speak out after the Copa final but felt he could not after it was beaten.
His return will be a relief for the FA, mired in an economic and management crisis and administered by a so-called regularization committee appointed by world soccer's governing body FIFA.
Messi's decision in June sparked demonstrations in Buenos Aires and calls for him to change his mind.
"I send my thanks to all who want me to continue playing for Argentina, I hope we'll be able to give them something to cheer about soon," he said.
Argentina is third in the 10-nation South American qualifying group with 11 points from six matches, two behind Uruguay and Ecuador.
The top four after 18 games advance to the Russia Finals while the fifth-placed team goes into an intercontinental playoff for one more berth.
Bauza included two uncapped strikers in a 27-man squad, Lucas Alario of River Plate and Lucas Pratto of Brazil's Atletico Mineiro.
He surprisingly omitted Gonzalo Higuain, a player he praised at the beginning of the month for his club form in Italy but who missed chances in Argentina's last three final defeats.


Clic here to read the story from its source.