Football icon Lionel Messi arrives in Argentina ahead of Burkina Faso friendly

Football icon Lionel Messi has arrived in Argentina as preparations intensify for their friendly match against Burkina Faso on Saturday.

Argentina secured a convincing 4-0 victory over Bolivia in their first friendly and will now face Burkina Faso at the Monumental Stadium, with kick-off scheduled for 9pm.

According to reports, Messi arrived in his hometown of Rosario early Friday morning accompanied by his wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, and their three children.

The Inter Miami star is expected to travel to Buenos Aires shortly to join up with Lionel Scaloni and the rest of the Argentina squad as preparations continue for the upcoming international fixtures.

Messi had reportedly reached an agreement with Scaloni and Argentine Football Association president Claudio Tapia to take part in the third friendly of the international break, which explains his absence from the squad’s training camp so far.

His arrival is therefore expected to provide a major boost to the Argentina camp, with his teammates and coaching staff preparing to welcome him ahead of the Burkina Faso encounter.

The 39-year-old is also arriving in good physical condition after enjoying a productive spell with Inter Miami, scoring in four consecutive matches for the MLS club before joining up with Argentina.

Messi is expected to take part in training either Friday or Saturday as Scaloni assesses his condition ahead of the Burkina Faso clash.

However, it remains unclear whether the Argentina captain will feature against the Stallions, with his involvement expected to depend on his fitness and the coaching staff’s plans.

The match against Burkina Faso is particularly significant because Argentina’s next friendly against Benin on Tuesday is expected to attract even greater attention.

That fixture has been tipped to become an emotional occasion for Messi, as it could mark his final appearance for Argentina in front of the home supporters.

Messi’s international career has been decorated with major honours, including the 2021 Copa América and the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and his potential farewell has generated considerable anticipation among Argentine supporters.

For now, however, the focus remains on Burkina Faso, with Argentina preparing for another friendly and Messi set to rejoin the squad ahead of the encounter.