Lionel Messi spoke after Argentina’s 3-0 win against Venezuela in the World Cup qualifiers.

Messi spoke to the media immediately following Argentina’s 3-0 win where he commented on the Argentina national team and his future. There has been a lot of speculation since Thursday regarding Lionel Messi’s Argentina national team future.

Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni stated how the match against Venezuela would probably be the last one in Argentine prior to the World Cup. This caused many to speculate about Messi’s future. When asked about it, here is what he had to say:

“I have been happy here for a long time. We won the Copa America with this wonderful group. Everything flows naturally. It’s easier on and off the pitch.

“I am thinking about Ecuador and the preparation matches. After the World Cup, I’m going to have to rethink a lot of things. It goes well or not, hopefully well…”

The Argentine scored for Argentina in that 3-0 win.

@mundoalbiceleste Lionel Messi scores for Argentina! #LionelMessi #Messi #Football #Futbol #Soccer #Argentina ♬ original sound – Mundo Albiceleste

Lionel Messi spearheads the attack for Argentina with Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister and Leandro Paredes in midfield.

Messi is back in the Argentina starting XI as the team play their final World Cup qualifying match at La Bombonera. Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni had already stated that Franco Armani will start against Venezuela with Emiliano “Dibu” Martinez suspended. Here is the starting eleven:

Argentina confirmed XI: Armani; Tagliafico, Otamendi, Pezzella, Molina; De Paul, Paredes, Mac Allister; Messi, Joaquin Correa, Nicolás González

Coach Lionel Scaloni has decided not to include any of the youth players on the bench. Here is the bench:

Juan Musso, Gerónimo Rulli, Lucas Martínez Quarta, Juan Foyth, Julián Álvarez, Ángel Di María, Exequiel Palacios, Lucas Ocampos, Guido Rodríguez, Manuel Lanzini, Ángel Correa and Lucas Boyé.

Argentina play against Venezuela in the World Cup qualifiers at La Bombonera with Lionel Messi set to start.

Lionel Messi returns to La Bombonera, the home of Boca Juniors as Argentina play their final home match of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers. Messi is set to start with Alexis Mac Allister of Brighton also in the rumored eleven.

Coach Lionel Scaloni will be without four players who are suspended. Those four being Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez, Cristian Romero, Emiliano Buendía and Gio Lo Celso. All four are suspended for this match and the next qualifier against Ecuador for having broken Brazilian COVID protocols.

Scaloni has already stated that Franco Armani will be the goalkeeper for the match. With no Lisandro Martínez who is injured, Germán Pezzella is rumored to start alongside Nicolás Otamendi. Marcos Acuña injured means Nicolás Tagliafico starts and Gonzalo Montiel is suspended for this match as Molina gets the start.

Leandro Paredes and Rodrigo De Paul keep their places in midfield and with the suspended Lo Celso unable to play, rumors out of Argentina have Alexis Mac Allister starting. Up front, Ángel Di María is unfit and Lautaro Martínez tested positive for COVID, with rumors stating that Nicolás González and Joaquín Correa will start alongside Lionel Messi. Here is the rumored eleven:

Armani; Molina, Pezzella, Otamendi, Tagliafico; De Paul, Paredes, Alexis Mac Allister; Messi, Joaquín Correa and Nicolás González

Here are the players who are available for the World Cup qualifier:

Goalkeepers:
Franco Armani (River Plate)
Juan Musso (Atalanta)
Geronimo Rulli (Villarreal)

Defenders:
Juan Foyth (Villarreal)
Nahuel Molina (Udinese)
Germán Pezzella (Real Betis)
Lucas Martínez Quarta (Fiorentina)
Nicolás Otamendi (Benfica)
Nicolás Tagliafico (Ajax)

Midfielders:
Franco Carboni (Inter)
Leandro Paredes (Paris Saint-Germain)
Guido Rodríguez (Real Betis)
Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico Madrid)
Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen)
Luka Romero (Lazio)
Alexis Mac Allister (Brighton)
Valentin Carboni (Inter)
Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United)
Nicolás Paz (Real Madrid)
Tiago Geralnik (Villarreal)
Manuel Lanzini (West Ham United)

Forwards:
Ángel Correa (Atletico Madrid)
Matias Soulé (Juventus)
Lucas Ocampos (Sevilla)
Nicolás González (Fiorentina)
Joaquin Correa (Inter)
Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain)
Lucas Boyé (Elche)
Julián Álvarez (River Plate)

Unavailable:
Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez (Aston Villa) – Suspended
Emiliano Buendía (Aston Villa) – Suspended
Cristian “Cuti” Romero (Tottenham Hotspur) – Suspended
Gio Lo Celso (Villarreal) – Suspended
Lisandro Martínez (Ajax) – Injured
Gonzalo Montiel (Sevilla) – Suspended
Marcos Acuña (Sevilla) – Injured
Alejandro Papu Gómez (Sevilla) – Injured
Lautaro Martínez (Inter) – COVID
Ángel Di Maria (Paris Saint-Germain) – Injured, not expected to start

As we reported, some of the younger players on the team have a chance to make the bench for the match. Alejandro Garnacho of Manchester United has a chance to make the bench. Here are the kick off times:

Argentina 🇦🇷 vs. Venezuela 🇻🇪 World Cup qualifier kick off time:

🇨🇦🇺🇸 7:30 pm Eastern
🇨🇦🇺🇸 4:30 pm West Coast
🇬🇧 11:30 pm Friday
🇫🇷 12:30 am Saturday
🇱🇧 1:30 am Saturday
🇸🇦 2:30 am Sarurday
🇦🇪 3:30 am Saturday
🇮🇳 5:00 am Saturday
🇧🇩 5:30 am Saturday
🇲🇾 7:30 am Saturday pic.twitter.com/KR3np20Kgj

— Roy Nemer (@RoyNemer) March 25, 2022

Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni commented on the World Cup draw, Sergio Agüero and the friendly matches.

Lionel Scaloni spoke about several topics during Thursday’s press conference. From Lionel Messi and Franco Armani starting in Friday’s World Cup qualifier to the youth players on the team and to the absences of Lautaro Martínez and Paulo Dybala for these World Cup qualifying matches.

Scaloni also spoke about the World Cup draw on April 1 in Qatar and Argentina. Laughing about having to wear a suit as it’s protocol, here is what he had to say:

“Putting on the suit is complicated for me, I like to be comfortable, haha. Whatever happens, it’s going to be difficult, I’m not going to do the math.

“Whatever happens, happens. When the draw ends, we have to say that it’s difficult because it is impossible for it to be good. You have to play against everyone, to do it in the best way possible. A World Cup is a unique occasion and it’s so unpredictable that one doesn’t know what can happen.

“If I have to make a wish for the draw it’s that it brings me directly to the round of 16, ha!”

The Argentina national team coach also spoke about Sergio Agüero and his role with the team for the World Cup:

“It’s more than clear that he is well received here. I spoke with him and it’s important that we know the role he can play so that he doesn’t come here just to come here. Because it won’t do him any good either. I was clear with what I wanted from him, we talked about it and I would like him to be with us.

“I would like him to be around his team mates, to help with problems, anything that could happen in a World Cup. Typcial things that someone who is close to the players can do. After that, I don’t think there is a better image than Sergio to represent Argentine football.”

In regards to the friendly matches:

“The fixtures for European football are going to end between the 15 and the 22 and the match against Italy is on the first. Our idea is that as soon as they are done, we get together to have seven or eight days of training. And after that, from that match, we see what other rival we can play.

“The guys are coming after a long season and it’s not a question of us having them for 25 days for them to lose 15 days of vacation. You have to play a bit with that, wanting us to train but not keeping them from being focused and robbing them of their vacations. Which could take its toll on us in the future.”