Edgardo Bauza, Argentina coach, spoke to SPORT about the national team and the role Lionel Messi has. Among other things Bauza revealed what happened when he met with Messi in Barcelona, in an encounter that led the No 10 to resume playing for the Albiceleste.

He explained: "What surprised me is how much he knows about football, because he knows everything, about his team-mates, the technical team, about football. He's aware of everything. I always thought a player of his standing would have to be a player who knew a lot about football. But he surprised me even more than I thought. Leo knows everything about everything. Nothing escapes him. He has a very important understanding and this helps when one has to communicate their idea."

Of the meeting they had, Bauza said: "First we asked him if he would receive us. When he accepted, I knew that there would be no problem with him because it was going to be a chat about football. I didn't go to convince Messi, I was convinced that in the chat a possibility would arise. He received me with Javier Mascherano at the Ciutat Esportiva and after the chat there was nothing more to say other than "Boys, you're called up for the next game."