Lionel Messi confirms he will return to Argentina national team

Lionel Messi’s retirement from international soccer did not last long.

Messi confirmed on Friday that he will continue to make himself available for selection to the Argentina national team.

“I see that there are a lot of problems in Argentina football and I don’t want to create more,” Messi said in a statement, via ESPN FC. “I don’t want to cause harm, on the contrary, my goal was to help in any way I could.

“There are many things that need to be fixed in Argentine football. But I prefer to help from inside rather than stand on the outside and criticise. A lot of things ran through my head on the day of the [Copa America] final. And I seriously considered leaving the team. But I love my shirt and my country too much. I want to thank all the fans who wanted me to keep playing for Argentina. I hope we can give them joy very soon.”

Messi said he was retiring from Argentina moments after losing the Copa America final in June, a loss which spawned a whole raft of Messi-themed memes. It has been speculated since that he’d go back on that decision and return to the team, and that speculation has proven correct. Messi was likely speaking as a frustrated, emotional figure following one of the most heartbreaking losses of his career, as well as a series of complaints toward the country’s football association. Now that he’s had time to think, he’s changed his mind.