Messi 'close' to Argentina return

After having undergone a series of big changes within the national setup, including the coaching staff, Argentina appear more than ready for the return of their leader, their icon of recent times: Lionel Messi. 

The Rosario native has been out of action for his country since June 30th, a sad day for him and his teammates. The day when France eventually snuck past the 'Albiceleste' in the World Cup by a narrow scoreline of 4-3. 

This loss served as a catalyst for Messi to make a stand and separate himself from the Argentina national team, which has since been reinvented with new players and a new coaching team under the stewardship of Lionel Scaloni.

After the recent good displays of the team, everything points to this being the perfect time for 'the flea' to return. According to 'TyC Sports', the number '10' is very close to returning and that he could make an appearance in one of the friendly matches in March 2019 (China and Japan).

The aforementioned media source notes that it could be the perfect time for the Rosario native to return, who have the imminent battle for the Copa America in their crosshairs. Let's not forget that the competition will be staged in Brazil; a great incentive if there ever was one.