Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni believes Lionel Messi would rather win a World Cup or Copa America with his nation than another Champions League title with Barcelona.
Barca and Messi had made the Champions League trophy a priority this season, having not lifted it since 2014/15 and, more importantly, seen fierce rivals Real Madrid lift it for the last three successive years.
Scaloni announced his 23-man squad for the Copa America in June on Tuesday and, predictably, Messi was a main talking point.
Asked about Messi being back in the national team, Scaloni said: “I don’t think there is one single guy in the world who dreams more about winning a title with Argentina than Lionel Messi.
“I don’t know him, Messi, I never talked to him but my specialty is football players and I’m sure if you asked Messi ‘what do you prefer, to be a world champion with Argentina or winning the Champions League’… do you think he would choose the Champions?”
Scaloni’s squad highlighted a mix of the old and the new. Sergio Aguero and Angel Di Maria are also in, while Inter Milan striker Mauro Icardi was left out.
Argentina haven’t won a major trophy since the 1993 Copa America in Ecuador. Scaloni’s side will be part of Group B together with Colombia, Paraguay and Qatar in Brazil.
