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Argentina captain Lionel Messi is thrilled to return to the national team fold. The Inter Miami attacker has flown to the country ahead of their upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers next week.
La Albiceleste take on Uruguay at home on Thursday (November 16) before travelling to Brazil five days later. With his club side Inter Miami's season now over following their failure to qualify for the postseason after finished 14th in the MLS Eastern Conference, Messi has arrived for international duty.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup winner posted a message on Instagram stories, which read (as translated from Spanish):
"Always happy to come back"
Here's a screenshot of Messi's original message on Instagram story:
Messi has been in sparkling form in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, netting three times in as many outings. That includes the only goal of the game in the 1-0 home win over Ecuador on matchday one and a brace in the 2-0 win in Peru on matchday four last month.
Argentina captain Lionel Messi presents Ballon d'Or award in front of Inter Miami fans
Argentina captain Lionel Messi hit the ground running at MLS side Inter Miami since arriving on a free transfer from Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain in the summer.
In 14 games across competitions, the 36-year-old struck 11 times and laid out five assists. The tally includes 10 goals and an assist in seven games in the Herons' victorious Leagues Cup campaign in the competition's inaugural edition. It was the club's first title in their short five-year history.
Although he couldn't replicate the same magic in the MLS - where Tata Martino's side briefly flirted with qualification for the playoffs before falling short - there's no doubt that Messi has almost single-handed transformed Miami's fortunes.
On Saturday, the Argentine presented his record-extending eighth Ballon d'Or award - won largely due to his exploits in Argentina's victorious FIFA World Cup 2022 campaign - to jubilant Inter Miami fans.
Here's the video of Messi presenting the award at the DRV PNK Stadium:
Messi struck seven times and assisted thrice, scoring in all four knockout games - including a brace in the final against France, as La Albiceleste won their third World Cup, first in 36 years.
