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Lionel Messi is expected to start when Argentina play host to Venezuela in the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers on Friday. The two-time world champions have already qualified for this year's World Cup.
There were question marks regarding Messi's availability ahead of La Albiceleste's game against Venezuela. The forward missed Paris Saint-Germain (PSG)'s game against AS Monaco right before the international break due to a flu.
However, Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni has confirmed that their skipper is fit to feature against Venezuela. Speaking to the press ahead of their World Cup Qualifier, Scaloni said (via Mundo Albiceleste):
“Leo is good, he trained normally and is available to play. Leo is very comfortable in the Argentina national team. We managed to get the group to assimilate who he is and make him feel like he’s just one more in the team. We have known that for a long time. What should always have been normal began to be normal a little over a year ago."
It is worth mentioning that Messi missed the last round of World Cup Qualifiers played in late January. He decided to stay back in France with PSG to build his fitness after contracting COVID-19 in December.
Messi has played a vital role in guiding his national side to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. He scored six goals in the qualifying campaign, including a hat-trick against Bolivia back in September 2021.
The 34-year-old is the second-highest goalscorer for La Albiceleste in the ongoing edition of the qualifiers. He is only behind Lautaro Martinez, who has scored seven times.
Lionel Messi will be looking to win yet another international trophy with Argentina in Qatar
Lionel Messi will be looking to win the FIFA World Cup after guiding his national side to the 2021 Copa America triumph last summer.
The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner helped Argentina lift their first Copa America title since 1993. It was his first major international trophy with the national team.
The PSG forward will now look to finally win the World Cup for Argentina. La Albiceleste came agonizingly close to winning the tournament back in 2014 when they lost to Germany in the finals.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar could be Lionel Messi's last chance to win the game's most prestigious international tournament.
