Argentine superstar Lionel Messi will play in the World Cup qualifiers after the South American Football Confederation lifted the ban.
The World Cup qualifiers are set to take place next month.
Messi was sent off by getting a red card in last year’s Copa America’s losers final against Chile. Messi was subsequently banned for three matches for criticizing the tournament management and organizers right after the incident. Above this he was charged with 50,000 USD fine.
Messi’s opportunity to play in a World Cup qualifier came after the South American Football Confederation approved the Argentine Football Association’s claim that the ban had expired.
Argentina’s World Cup qualifier against Ecuador is on October 8 in Buenos Aires, after this Argentina then have a match against Bolivia too.
Messi was outraged because he was sent off with a red card in the 37th minute of the Copa America match against Chile in July last year.
Afterwards, Messi revealed that there was a lot of corruption going on in the tournament and that the tournament was designed to be won by Brazil.
Messi’s statement irritated the organizers and thus a ban was imposed on the Argentinian super star.