After nearly two months away, Lionel Messi comes out of International retirement

Lionel Messi has sensationally returned to Argentine National team after holding talks with new coach Edgardo Bauza. Messi, 29, quit after Argentina's Copa America final defeat by Chile in June in which he cried and told media reporters after the match that he had decided to retire. But in a statement reported by media in Argentina, the Barcelona striker said he made the U-turn for the "love of the country" and "to help from within".

"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," Argentina's all-time record goalscorer is reported as saying. "We need to fix many things in Argentinian football, but I prefer to do this from inside and not criticise from outside."

Messi on Friday was named in Argentina's squad for the next set of International friendlies alongside  Manchester City trio Sergio Aguero, Pablo Zabaleta and Nicolas Otamendi and Manchester United pair Sergio Romero and Marcos Rojo.