Messi not under pressure to return for Argentina.
Argentina Football Association president Claudio Tapia is not going to put any pressure on Lionel Messi to return to the squad, believing the Barcelona forward has given much more to the national team than he has received in return, Soccernet reports.
Messi, who was under intense scrutiny to perform at this summer’s World Cup, has taken an indefinite break from the Albiceleste after captaining them to the round-of-16.
“We have to be thankful,” Tapia said of Messi. “He has done a lot for the national team and we have repaid him in the worst possible way.”
With Messi unavailable, Manchester United goalkeeper Sergio Romero should take over the Argentina captaincy provided he starts against Guatemala and the game against Colombia in New Jersey four days later. If he does not, Ajax defender Nicolas Tagliafico is reportedly the number one candidate for the role.
