• From left: Lautaro Martinez, Lionel Messi, Angel Di Maria, German Pezzela and Guido Pizarro take part in a training session. AFP
    From left: Lautaro Martinez, Lionel Messi, Angel Di Maria, German Pezzela and Guido Pizarro take part in a training session. AFP
  • Argentina's Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria during training. Reuters
    Argentina's Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria during training. Reuters
  • Lionel Messi takes part in Argentina training at the Pacaembu Stadium, Sao Paulo, Brazil ahead of Saturday's 2019 Copa America third-place play-off against Chile. Reuters
    Lionel Messi takes part in Argentina training at the Pacaembu Stadium, Sao Paulo, Brazil ahead of Saturday's 2019 Copa America third-place play-off against Chile. Reuters
  • Argentina players take part in training exercises at the Pacaembu Stadium. Reuters
    Argentina players take part in training exercises at the Pacaembu Stadium. Reuters
  • Argentina players take part in training exercises at the Pacaembu Stadium. AFP
    Argentina players take part in training exercises at the Pacaembu Stadium. AFP
  • Argentina players emerge from the tunnel ahead of training. AFP
    Argentina players emerge from the tunnel ahead of training. AFP
  • From left: German Pezzela, Giovani Lo Celso and Angel Di Maria take part in a training session in Sao Paulo. AFP
    From left: German Pezzela, Giovani Lo Celso and Angel Di Maria take part in a training session in Sao Paulo. AFP
  • Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni during press conference. Reuters
    Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni during press conference. Reuters
  • Argentina striker Sergio Aguero, left, goes through a warm-up with Argentina teammates. AFP
    Argentina striker Sergio Aguero, left, goes through a warm-up with Argentina teammates. AFP
  • Lionel Messi takes part in a training session in Sao Paulo, Brazil. AFP
    Lionel Messi takes part in a training session in Sao Paulo, Brazil. AFP

Lionel Messi trains with Argentina ahead of Copa America third-place match, vows to play on - in pictures


Steve Luckings
  • English
  • Arabic

Lionel Messi has vowed to carry on playing international football with Argentina despite missing out on an elusive international trophy at the 2019 Copa America.

The Barcelona forward infamously quit the national team after Argentina's defeat in the 2016 Copa America Centenario final, only to make a swift return some months later.

It was thought that Messi may consider calling time on his Argentina career following Saturday's third-place match against Chile in Sao Paulo, but Messi, 32, has said he will play on.

"If I can still help in any way, I will continue to do so. I feel really good in this group," said the five-time Ballon d'Or winner.

"This is a good, talented generation who showed that they love the national team," he added.

"They have a future and great foundations, they just need to be given time."

Messi trained with his teammates at the Pacaembu Stadium in Sao Paulo on Friday ahead of the match against Chile.

To scroll through the images, simply swipe left/right on your browser.