Read what Maradona said about Messi’s future

Argentina’s new coach Edgardo Bauza said Thursday he was optimistic he can convince Lionel Messi to come out of worldwide retirement after meeting the five-time World Player of the Year.

Messi announced that he would no longer be available for La Albiceleste selection following Argentina’s Copa America final defeat to Chile in June, stating “the national team is over for me”.

Messi” s performance on Wednesday will have shown the man who replaced Gerardo “Tato’ Martino after the Copa America just what he could miss as he looks to rebuild the side ahead of the qualifying campaign for the 2018 World Cup finals in Russian Federation.

“I’m coming here to speak with Messi and Mascherano”, he said.

Bauza has said he is confident he’ll be able to coax Messi back, but on Thursday, he told reporters that he didn’t mention a return to the national team during his first conversation with Messi in Barcelona.

However, Argentine legend Maradona stated: “Messi has to stay in the national team”.

Bauza took over as Argentina coach after Gerardo Martino stepped down following the Copa América.

Maradona was the manager of Argentina during the 2010 World Cup.

And now Maradona states that Messi will not reverse Argentina retirement:”I think Messi is going to say no to Bauza”.

Maradona also blamed the Argentina federation for the country’s early group-stage exit from the Rio Olympics. “That is my personal opinion and maybe I am wrong”.