Argentina (National Football)

Lionel Messi was not going to miss the World Cup.

With Argentina's qualifying fate hanging in the balance, the superstar took control in Tuesday's CONMEBOL contest at Ecuador and spearheaded a 3-1 victory. While his side allowed a goal within the first minute, he answered with a hat trick in a pressure-packed environment.

Lionel Messi out there doing his hero thing for 🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/BdpBVoTOqY

— B/R Football (@brfootball) October 10, 2017

Ecuador had already been eliminated from World Cup consideration before Tuesday's slate, but it had the opportunity to play spoiler. Roger Gonzalez of CBS Sports broke down the scenarios, noting the top four teams in CONMEBOL would automatically qualify for Russia 2018 with the fifth-place team set to play New Zealand in a playoff.

Argentina entered play sixth in the table with 25 points and would qualify with a win "as long as Chile doesn't beat Brazil, Colombia and Peru draw or Peru beats Colombia by a less margin than Argentina," Gonzalez wrote.

Argentina didn't have to worry about a worst-case scenario because it had Messi on its side, and Squawka Football noted La Albiceleste reached their 12th straight World Cup with the win.

According to ESPN Stats & Info, Messi's 21 career goals in CONMEBOL qualifying are the most in history. What's more, the hat trick was his first in World Cup qualifying in his illustrious career.

The game wasn't without its speed bumps for the victors. Romario Ibarra found the back of the net in the opening minute with a left-footed shot off a beautifully placed header from Roberto Ordonez:

Primera jugada del partido y Romario Ibarra pone a ganar a Ecuador cuando solo va un minuto en el Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa. 😱 pic.twitter.com/Ic5PS4Pflh

— beIN SPORTS Español (@ESbeINSPORTS) October 10, 2017

Ecuador controlled 55 percent of the possession, though it couldn't parlay that into a shots advantage, with Argentina tallying 13 to its nine, including a 7-3 advantage in shots on goal, per ESPN FC.

Messi came to the rescue with his 12th-minute goal off Angel Di Maria's centering pass. He played Superman again with a left-footed finish into the top corner eight minutes later:

¡GOLAZOOOO¡ @TeamMessi lo vuelve a hacer y ahora pone a ganar a @Argentina en solo 20 minutos de partido.👀🔥😮 pic.twitter.com/FMBg2n9705

— beIN SPORTS Español (@ESbeINSPORTS) October 10, 2017

Argentina struggled to assert its will against a mismatched opponent even after it seized the lead. Miguel Delaney of The Independent said the visitors were "ceding ground and panicky when defending."

The thing about having Messi, though, is the other players can afford to cede ground from time to time.

He beat goalkeeper Maximo Banguera for a third time in the 62nd minute, all but ensuring Argentina would advance to the World Cup. It was another left-footed finish and came with multiple defenders closing the gap at the top of the box:

¡TRIPLETE DE #Messi ! la pulga da la cara por su selección que ahora vence 1-3 a @FEFecuador y Argentina pone un pie en Rusia.🇷🇺 pic.twitter.com/LYNsC5VoIX

— beIN SPORTS Español (@ESbeINSPORTS) October 11, 2017

Messi's brilliance was more than enough for goalkeeper Sergio Romero and the Argentina defense to secure the victory, especially with Ecuador struggling to generate consistent scoring chances despite solid possession totals.

Argentina will turn its attention to the World Cup, and it figures to be a dangerous opponent. La Albiceleste reached the 2014 final against Germany and will likely be among the title contenders again even though they struggled to qualify.

There is one reason for their status as a potential World Cup winner, and he put the team on his back Tuesday.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has said Argentina ace Lionel Messi must win a World Cup if he is to be considered the greatest player of all time.  

Argentina face Ecuador in their last 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier on Tuesday but are far from guaranteed a spot in Russia next year, and Infantino told Argentinian newspaper La Nacion (h/t Football Espana):

“Messi is extraordinary, but he is yet to win a World Cup. There are lots of amazing players who never won the World Cup and that is what made Diego (Maradona) so special in football—winning major titles for both club and country.

"Messi may be there [in Russia], and we may see him in 2022 because he very rarely picks up injuries, even if players try to foul him. They can't get near.”

La Albiceleste lie sixth in the CONMEBOL standings and are still not guaranteed automatic qualification to the World Cup finals with a win should Chile and either Peru or Colombia win in their respective matchups.

Unlike Brazil legend Pele and Maradona, Messi has never won a World Cup, and the closest he has come to doing so thus far was a runner-up finish to Germany in the 2014 edition of the tournament.

Broadcaster Juan Arango provided further quotes from Infantino, who again pointed to the example of Messi's heralded countryman as the shining example to follow:

https://twitter.com/JuanG_Arango/status/917596676818423808

Despite Messi's surge to prominence as arguably the greatest player of all time over the past 10 years and more, Argentina have struggled to come upon much silverware success during that period.

It's more than likely this will be the Barcelona icon's last attempt at a World Cup, considering he'll be 35 years of age by the time the 2022 World Cup in Qatar kicks off. However, Yahoo's Ryan Bailey recently questioned whether this could be the end of his international career altogether:

New ⚽️🎥 for @FCYahoo: Are we about to witness Lionel Messi's final Argentina game? https://t.co/6TB2Xo7VIw pic.twitter.com/JDj9sFniyq

— Ryan Bailey (@RyanJayBailey) October 9, 2017

Messi's career has produced almost unrivalled success as far as his club career goes at Barca, winning eight La Liga titles, four UEFA Champions League crowns, three FIFA Club World Cups and more.

The 30-year-old has also won more Ballon d'Or awards than any player in history (five) and took his country to Olympic gold in 2008, but the Telegraph's Thom Gibbs and Jim White argued his national-team accolades to be minor:

What has Lionel Messi ever done for Argentina? @thomgibbs and @jimw1 discuss on The Total Football Podcast https://t.co/FKXr6wrILO pic.twitter.com/t0pQXjA6cg

— Telegraph Football (@TeleFootball) October 9, 2017

One might disagree with Infantino, in that a team achievement—or lack thereof when referring to Messi's failure to win a World Cup—shouldn't dictate who the greatest individual player of all time is. 

That being said, it's difficult to escape the feeling Messi will be missing one major prize when compared to some of his peers should he retire without a World Cup, and that fate could be decided as early as Tuesday evening in Ecuador.

Argentina and Lionel Messi could be missing from the FIFA World Cup 2018 finals unless they gain a positive result against Ecuador in CONMEBOL qualification on Tuesday.

The Argentinians currently lie in sixth, outside of the automatic qualification positions and the fifth-placed play-off berth.

The visitors have a poor record on the road against Ecuador but need a victory to sustain their ambitions of a trip to Russia next summer or at least better the results of Chile, Colombia and Peru.

Chile travel to Brazil for their last match, as Peru host Colombia.

Here is how you can watch the final qualifier from South America:

             

Date: Tuesday, Oct. 10

Time: 7:30 p.m. (ET)/12:30 a.m. Wednesday (BST)

TV: beIN Sports (U.S.)

Stream: beIN Sports CONNECT, fubo.tv.

              

Preview

A World Cup finals without the presence of Messi seems preposterous, but there is a real chance the Barcelona legend will not feature in Russia next summer.

Argentina have clumsily rumbled through qualification in South America, collecting 25 points compared to Brazil's haul of 38.

Scoring goals has been the central issue for Messi and Co., and a goal difference of plus one has placed Argentina on the brink of disaster.

Six nations remain in the mix for a chance to make it to the finals, but Ecuador have already been eliminated after just falling short of the mark.

However, they did avoid defeat in 10 of their qualification matches and will be no pushover for their illustrious and desperate opponents.

The home venue of Quito is at high altitude, and Argentina have suffered there in the past, with little oxygen to sustain an empowered display.

Argentina have lost two of their past three CONMEBOL matches in the capital city, with Ecuador taking advantage of the climate and geography.

The visitors will hope the hosts will be disinterested in a tie that means nothing to them in technical terms, but Ecuador will not lie down with the opportunity to embarrass and humble Argentina. A victory would be remembered for generations to come.

Tim Vickery of The Sun wrote the Argentinians are being punished for their reliance on Messi's magic and productivity, as others fail to inspire:

"Argentina have lacked a top class centre back, for example, since the retirement of Roberto Ayala a decade ago – and since then they have rarely looked like a fully coherent team.

"Instead, they have been dependent on flashes of individual genius, mostly from Messi.

"The team that hauled itself to the World Cup final three years ago was heavily reliant on the inspiration of Messi and the grit of Javier Mascherano.

"One of the problems of this campaign is that Messi has missed 8 matches – in which Argentina managed just 7 points.

"Another, a constant in recent times, has been the lack of defensive pace. And the biggest problem of all has been the nerves that can hit a traditional giant when it is in danger of failing so badly.

"Argentina have played the last few matches as if they been running in treacle."

In terms of their life cycle, the current Argentina team are on the edge of transition, and it will be no surprise to see Messi hang up his international boots if the side fail to qualify.

The wizard has struggled to impact his nation at the highest level, while constantly achieving incredible feats with Barca in La Liga and Europe.

Current boss Jorge Sampaoli has a quality record through his managerial career, but the issues faced by his squad are deeper than the length of his tenure.

Ecuador will be desperate to spoil the party on Tuesday night, and Argentina will need a huge slice of luck as they look at results from other games to aid their quest.

Chile have a difficult trip to Brazil, but the group winners have nothing to play for after securing their usual spot at the finals.

Argentina's chances of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup in Russia are hanging by a thread after the country's scoreless draw against Peru on Thursday night. 

The result left Argentina in sixth place in the CONMEBOL table with just one match remaining. While Brazil already clinched its place in Russia, Uruguay (28 points), Chile (26 points), Colombia (26 points) and Peru (25 points) all remain ahead of Argentina (25 points) on the table. The top four teams earn automatic qualification, while the fifth team will face New Zealand in a November qualifying playoff.

That means Argentina goes into Tuesday's match needing a victory to guarantee advancement. Uruguay will automatically qualify for the tournament with a win or draw over Bolivia, while Chile will automatically advance with a win over Brazil. 

But as Miguel Delaney of the Independent noted, the Argentines still have hope: 

... but that will probably require Argentina actually scoring. Messi deserves it, but this joke of a team doesn't.

— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) October 6, 2017

Indeed, if Argentina wins, any result from Peru and Colombia will be moot. A draw between those sides would push Argentina into at least fourth place, while either team winning would mean Argentina could finish no lower than fifth.

Again, that's contingent on Argentina winning. Anything less could mean that Russia's World Cup may be without arguably the top player in the world, Lionel Messi.

It wasn't for a lack of trying from the superstar.

Argentina dominated possession and had its fair share of opportunities throughout the game. Messi was unsurprisingly active and threatening, both creating several opportunities for teammates and nearly finishing a few of his own. Argentina couldn't take advantage of those chances, however.

Two of the team's better opportunities came in the early stages of the second half. Dario Benedetto's shot was expertly saved by Pedro Gallese. Messi pounced on the careening rebound but his spinning attempt teasingly hit the post and ricocheted away from danger.

Messi and Argentina nearly struck again minutes later, as the Barcelona superstar picked out Emiliano Rigoni with a beautiful pass into the box. But Gallese was up to the challenge again.

It was hard not to feel bad for Messi, who was the team's only dangerous threat on the evening: 

It isn't an exaggeration to say Messi is just going to have to do it himself. How frustrated would you be if you were him?

— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) October 6, 2017

I know easy to say, but you'd genuinely feel for Messi. He created four sitters for teammates and another good chance. Wasted by them...

— Miguel Delaney (@MiguelDelaney) October 6, 2017

Messi aside, has a single Argentina player had even a half-decent game here? Acuña maybe the best of the rest but slim pickings

— Jack Lang (@jacklang) October 6, 2017

And it left more than a few people also trying to contemplate a World Cup without a player of Messi's quality: 

https://twitter.com/LeanderAlphabet/status/916109504823156737

https://twitter.com/AntoniettaESPN/status/916114183997001728

Forget the potential existential horror of a World Cup without the U.S. — imagine a World Cup without Lionel Messi.

— James Tyler (still) (@JamesTylerESPN) October 6, 2017

As for Peru, Thursday's draw left it a win away from automatic qualification. While it could feasibly advance to the playoff against New Zealand with either a loss or a draw, it would only do so if both Argentina and Paraguay fail to win on Tuesday. 

In other words, outside of Brazil, everything remains wide open in South America heading into the final matchday of World Cup qualifying.

Argentina face a must-win clash against Peru on Thursday in their penultimate CONMEBOL qualifying match for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

Fail to win at La Bombonera in Buenos Aires and Jorge Sampaoli's side will likely head into their final qualifier—in Ecuador on October 10—outside of even the play-off place in the table. 

At present, Peru sit above Argentina in the fourth automatic CONMEBOL qualifying position, while Chile are one point behind in sixth and face Ecuador on Thursday, per Fox Soccer:

👀 World Cup qualifying is WAY too close to call in South America.

7 teams are still alive...Who do you predict will join Brazil in Russia? pic.twitter.com/zsT7Sv17j9

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) September 6, 2017

Read on for a full preview of a potentially monumental clash, along with full viewing and scheduling details.

      

Date: Thursday, Oct. 5

Time: 7:30 p.m. ET/12:30 a.m. BST (Friday)

Live Stream: beIN Sports Connect

      

Preview

Given the talent in the Argentina squad, there is little excuse for the position they find themselves in.

Lionel Messi, Mauro Icardi, Paulo Dybala, Sergio Aguero, Angel Di Maria and Gonzalo Higuain together constitute one of the most enviable international attacking units in the world, yet the Albiceleste are in serious danger of not qualifying for next year's World Cup in Russia.

25 games, 34 goals ⚽

Argentina’s strike force has started the season in unbelievable form 🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/zHqxCkC3kp

— B/R Football (@brfootball) September 20, 2017

Argentina should arguably have already wrapped up qualification as Brazil have, but they now find themselves having to beat Peru.

Anything other than three points on Thursday and the hosts will, at best, be condemned to a play-off place.

The form book does not make for good reading for Argentina. September's qualifiers saw them draw with Uruguay and Venezuela following a 2-0 defeat by Bolivia—their last competitive victory was in March against Chile.

Peru, meanwhile, have won three on the bounce, against Uruguay, Bolivia and Ecuador.

If Argentina do end up finishing fifth in CONMEBOL qualifying, it will not be the end of the world as they would most likely win a play-off against New Zealand and make it to Russia anyway.

However, given the incredibly close nature of table at the moment, the problem at hand is the prospect of the Albiceleste missing out altogether if they fail to win their final two qualifiers. 

The prospect of Dybala, Aguero—who will be absent for the Peru clash—Di Maria and, of course, Messi missing out on next year's World Cup will be unsavoury for many, but it is now entirely possible.

Sampaoli's side must step up their form from recent performances and rise to the occasion on Thursday to avoid such a fate.

Argentina's hopes of qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup hang in the balance as they welcome Venezuela in CONMEBOL qualification on Tuesday.

Lionel Messi and his team-mates lie only in fifth place, but need to climb into the top four to guarantee a passage to Russia.

La Albiceleste have won only six matches during qualification, and they have lacked motivation despite their array of world-class players.

Venezuela are bottom of the South American group and should be easy pickings for the hosts in Buenos Aires.

Here is how you can watch the game:

              

Date: Tuesday, Sept. 5

Time: 7:30 p.m. ET, 12:30 a.m. BST (Wednesday)

TV: beIN Sports

Stream: beIN Sports CONNECT, fubo.tv

                 

Preview

Messi's face has said it all in recent months with the Argentina shirt on his back. The Barcelona forward has been a picture of discontentment, unable to drive his country forward towards better days.

Argentina's goalless draw with Uruguay in Montevideo left them in the play-off berth in fifth, but Peru, Paraguay and Ecuador are just below them, all within three points.

A victory at home could see Argentina jump up to second if results fall to their advantage.

With only three qualification games remaining, coach Jorge Sampaoli has little time to correct any issues he has identified, and despite the manager putting his faith in his attack, the Argentinians struggle to put the ball in the net.

Averaging a just one goal a game in the group, Messi and Co. have lost the ability to flex their muscle against the countries from their locality.

Thankfully for Argentina, Venezuela are the perfect house guests as they attempt to grab three points.

One win in 15 underlines the visitors' lack of quality, and even an out of form team should expose their defence.

The latest hurdle should be a simple one, with Messi sharing the stage with Paolo Dybala. 

Dybala scored 11 goals in Serie A last term, but he has already hit four this season in the opening weeks, according to WhoScored.com.

Argentina hold their own destiny in their hands at present, but they must prove to their supporters in Buenos Aires they have the desire needed to wear the famous shirt at a World Cup.

                        

Prediction

Even with their recent woes, considering the opposition and quality, Argentina should skip to a decisive victory on home soil.

Messi's career at international level remains a mixed affair, but the firepower available to Sampaoli should be overwhelming.

Venezuela have conceded 34 goals in qualification, and if Messi delivers his usual standards, the points cannot be in doubt.

A World Cup finals without Argentina and Messi would be a poorer one, and football fans around the planet will hope the hosts prevail on Tuesday night.

Predicted Score: Argentina win 4-0

Jorge Sampaoli maintained his 100 per cent record as Argentina manager after his side rallied to a dominant 6-0 friendly win over Singapore in Lionel Messi's absence at the National Stadium on Tuesday.

Federico Fazio and Joaquin Correa put La Albiceleste two goals up prior to the break, while Alejandro Gomez and Leandro Paredes both netted goals on debut before substitute Lucas Alario and Angel Di Maria capped off the mauling.

Sampaoli will also have been impressed with his players after debuting a 2-3-4-1 formation in Singapore, where Lucas Biglia, Eduardo Salvio and Marcos Acuna lined up ahead of Fazio and Emanuel Mammana, the only dedicated defenders.

It remains to be seen whether Sampaoli, who recently arrived at the helm from Sevilla, plans to roll out his new formation in the long term, but The Independent's Ed Malyon raised grievances with what he saw as a "pointless" fixture:

https://twitter.com/eaamalyon/status/874608375874670592

Needless to say the setup at least paid dividends on Tuesday, Sampaoli's second game in charge of Argentina and his first since beating Brazil 1-0 on Friday in what was a dream debut for the tactician.

Compared to the rivalry of that South American showcase, the clash in Kallang paled in comparison and was devoid of much competition, to the extent that Argentina held a ridiculous 84 per cent of possession in the first half, per Flashscore.com.

But for all Argentina's attacking might in the starting XI, it was ironically centre-back Fazio who was first to find the net at the National Stadium following a poorly defended corner from Gomez.

The Atalanta maestro floated a good ball into the six-yard box, and Fazio was left free to volley inside the far post all too easily, per the Football Association of Singapore:

25' GOAL!! for Argentina. Hassan denied Acuna at the near post for a corner, which saw Fazio slotting the ball into the far post 0-1 #SINARG

— FAS (@FASingapore) June 13, 2017

Singapore had their worries compounded six minutes later, except this time it was an attacker who did the deed as Correa once again capitalised on the hosts' weak defending from the wide areas.

Paulo Dybala got to the byline and made it all too easy for his team-mate to convert after cutting the ball across at short range, though Argentinian football writer Roy Nemer noted some areas of improvement at the break:

It's 2-0 for Argentina at the break. Fazio and Correa with goals. Seen much of Di Maria and Gomez. Would like to see more of Lanzini, Salvio

— Roy Nemer (@RoyNemer) June 13, 2017

Despite being two goals to the good, Sampaoli made moves to increase his side's attacking output after the break and threw Ever Banega on in place of the more defensively minded Biglia, while forward Alario replaced Correa.

The coach then brought Paredes on for his senior Argentina debut, and the Roma midfielder made an instant impact in teeing up Gomez to lash inside the left post from just outside the area. It was efficient play from Paredes, per OptaJavier:

1 - Leandro Paredes' first touch ever for #Argentina was an assist for Papu Gomez. Welcome. pic.twitter.com/mdPTyAo1Sr

— OptaJavier (@OptaJavier) June 13, 2017

Singapore succeeded in getting something of a foothold in the second half—during which their possession rate rose near 30 per cent at times—but this was still a one-sided clash, emphasised when Paredes added a fourth with 15 minutes remaining.

Not content with being the creator, Paredes made the most of some weak Singapore defending and bore down on goal before side-footing an all-to-easy attempt inside the far right post.

Alario bided his time after entering the fray and got just reward when he volleyed home Argentina's fifth on the 90-minute mark, but the travelling team sought one parting blow before leaving Kallang.

As if they had been saving energy just to embarrass their hosts, Argentina made it four goals in the second half when Di Maria—who set up his side's fifth strike—pirouetted the ball into an empty net, completing the route.

Massive though the size of the gulf between the two teams was, even a 6-0 scoreline somewhat flattered Singapore, according to Marca's Peter Coates:

FT: Singapore 0 Argentina 6 and even that probably doesn't tell just how one-sided it was. Fazio, Correa, Papu, Paredes, Alario & Di María

— GOLAZO (@golazoargentino) June 13, 2017

Sampoli's tenure as Argentina coach is off to a promising start, and if nothing else, Tuesday's victory showed the team has a leader willing to take risks and experiment in an effort to alter the team's course of recent years.

La Albiceleste have more than two months before they return to FIFA 2018 World Cup qualifying against Uruguay, and they'll hope Sampaoli can have as much success in competitive games as he has in his friendly outings thus far.

Argentina will play their final match before the summer break against Singapore on Tuesday, the last friendly before FIFA 2018 World Cup qualifying resumes.

La Albiceleste are coming off a big win over rivals Brazil in Australia in a friendly, and, in all likelihood, Singapore will provide them with a less challenging test. The Lions have already been knocked out of qualifying for the World Cup.

Here's everything you need to know about the upcoming contest.

    

Date: Tuesday, June 13

Time: 1 p.m. BST/8 a.m. ET

Venue: National Stadium, Kallang

TV Info: Canal 7 TV Publica (no broadcasts available in the U.S. or UK)

Live Stream: TyC Sports Play

      

Preview

Even the most diehard fans of the sport may not be too familiar with football in Singapore. The Lions have never participated in a World Cup, haven't qualified for the AFC Asian Cup since 1984 and have never won any silverware outside of the AFF Championship, a little-known tournament in southeast Asia.

With the exception of two players who ply their trade in Malaysia and one in Thailand, the entire squad is made up of domestic-based players. This includes Irfan Fani, the team's most promising young player who will hope to catch the eye of overseas scouts.

In comparison, Argentina's squad is filled with star talent, although Lionel Messi will not play. As shared by ST Sports Desk, he flew to Singapore with his team-mates but left shortly after:

#LionelMessi bids #Singapore adios as he leaves on a chartered bus bound for @ChangiAirport pic.twitter.com/Vfa5OFmVPV

— ST Sports Desk (@STsportsdesk) June 10, 2017

In his absence, the scoring load will be carried by Juventus' Paulo Dybala, as well as Mauro Icardi of Inter Milan. The striker hasn't had too many opportunities with the team in the past―expect him to grasp this one with both hands.

According to La Nacion (h/t Football Italia), he's set to start in Kallang, with Gonzalo Higuain already released to begin his summer break. Icardi and Dybala could well be the future of the team―it will be great to see them playing together, even if it is against a limited opponent.

In all likelihood, Argentina won't push too hard against Singapore, with the top stars aching to go on holiday and avoid injury. There's little the coaching staff will learn from a match against such a lowly opponent, no matter how hard the hosts try.

Lionel Messi's four-match international ban for insulting a match official has been lifted by FIFA after a successful appeal by the Argentinian Football Association.

The Barcelona superstar was handed the suspension in March after he was found to have verbally abused an assistant referee during Argentina's FIFA World Cup qualifier with Chile, per ESPN FC.

However, the FIFA Appeal Committee has now overturned the decision on appeal after concluding "the evidence available was not sufficient to establish to the appropriate standard," per FIFA.

Messi had already served one match of the four-game ban.

He missed out as Argentina lost 2-0 to Bolivia at the end of March, a result that left them still struggling in CONMEBOL qualifying for Russia 2018—they lie in the fifth-placed play-off position, outside the top four automatic spots.

The Associated Press' Rob Harris suggested, as a result of having served a game-ban in error, he may be reprieved in the future:

Messi had already served 1 match of 4-match ban.
Now FIFA has cleared Messi should 1 game be wiped out if he gets banned in future?

— Rob Harris (@RobHarris) May 5, 2017

Given Messi is Argentina's most valuable player and was sorely missed in the defeat to Bolivia, it will be a huge relief to the Albiceleste that his ban has been lifted, per Squawka:

Argentina in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers:

With Lionel Messi: 6 games, 5 wins.
Without Lionel Messi: 8 games, 1 win.

Doing it by himself. pic.twitter.com/w3mtM2LRp1

— Squawka (@Squawka) May 5, 2017

The 29-year-old maestro had been set to miss key qualifiers against Uruguay, Venezuela and Peru, only returning for Argentina's final group match against Ecuador, when qualification could have been impossible.

However, Messi will now be available for the vital run-in, giving Argentina's qualification chances a huge boost. 

Argentina have sacked national team manager Edgardo Bauza following the team's struggles in CONMEBOL qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Claudio Tapa, the president of the Argentine Football Federation, confirmed the decision in a statement on Monday evening. 

"Bauza is no longer the coach of the national team," he told journalists, per ESPN FC.

The Albiceleste sit in fifth place in the standings, outside of the automatic qualifying spots and with a two-point lead over Ecuador in the race for a play-off ticket. The team have lost three of their last five qualifiers, including their 2-0 defeat in La Paz against Bolivia.

Per sports writer Roy Nemer, rumours Bauza had been sacked surfaced shortly after the defeat, and the Argentinian federation has now made the move official.

Bauza took control of the team in August 2016, replacing Gerardo Martino, who had just guided the team to the Copa America Centenario final. It was the team's third straight second-placed finish in a major tournament following the 2014 World Cup and 2015 Copa America.

The 59-year-old Bauza was asked to push the team over the edge after a strong spell with San Lorenzo and a short stint with Sao Paulo. With San Lorenzo, he guided the squad to their first-ever Copa Libertadores triumph.

But after a win over Uruguay in the first 2018 World Cup qualifier, Argentina went four matches without victory, and the side have been trailing in CONMEBOL qualifying the rest of the way.

With Barcelona star Lionel Messi serving a four-match suspension, the Albiceleste are in real danger of missing out on the World Cup. Nemer doesn't like their chances without the prolific forward:

If Messi gets suspended, he's taking Argentina's chances of qualifying for the World Cup with him. https://t.co/MjQKXFBNet

— Roy Nemer (@RoyNemer) March 24, 2017

The clash against Bolivia was the first without Messi, and it did not end well for the team. Argentina still have bags of attacking talent, and the federation has decided to act before it's too late, handing the side to a different manager who can field a winning XI without the Blaugrana star.

According to ESPN FC's Hernan Castillo, Jorge Sampaoli of Sevilla is the favourite to replace Bauza.