Lionel Messi returns to the Argentina national team as the Albiceleste get set for a pair of CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers in October, the first being a road trip to Venezuela on Thursday.
The Inter Miami legend had been missing from the international calendar since injuring his ankle in the Copa America final this past summer, failing to pass fit for the September matches against Chile and Colombia, but has been back to himself for a few weeks now and is expected to be a feature part of Lionel Scaloni's XI.
Argentina are hoping to put to rest a 2-1 defeat to Colombia last time out, the latest scalp in an impressive run of form for Los Cafeteros but not enough to bounce Messi's side from the top of the qualifying standings where they sit two points above the rest of the pack.
Venezuela managed an impressive draw with a wasteful Uruguay in September, but they remain in a precarious sixth position having failed to win any of their past four games in the competition. They managed to progress to the quarterfinals of this summer's Copa America before being toppled by Canada on penalties.
Get the latest team news and predicted lineups below.
MORE: All the latest soccer action | Lionel Messi news
Venezuela vs. Argentina lineups, predicted starting 11, team news
Defensive duo Teo Quintero and Jhon Chancellor have both withdrawn from the squad due to injuries. Quintero, an uncapped centre-back for Dutch side Sparta Rotterdam, has a knee injury, while Chancellor has been absent from his new club Catolica in Mexico since late August.
Sixteen-year-old Lyon youth player Alejandro Gomes was called into the team in September but rejected the invite as he is a member of the England youth side.
CF Montreal striker Josef Martinez has been in good form over the last month but has not been called in for a full calendar year, while aging full-back Roberto Rosales has also been out of the national-team fold for the same span despite sitting just five caps short of the century mark.
Venezuela predicted XI (4-3-3, right to left): Romo (GK) — A. Gonzalez, Osorio, Ferraresi, Navarro — Savarino, J. Martinez, Casseres, Herrera, Soteldo — Rondon.
Full squad:
Goalkeepers: Alain Baroja, Rafael Romo, Jose Contreras
Defenders: Yordan Osorio, Nahuel Ferraresi, Christian Makoun, Yiandro Raap, Delvin Alfonzo, Miguel Navarro, Victor Fung, Alexander Gonzalez, Jon Aramburu, Bianneider Tamayo, Carlos Vivas, Alessandro Milani, Ruben Ramirez, Luis Balbo
Midfielders: Jose Martinez, Tomas Rincon, Yangel Herrera, Cristiano Casseres, Nicola Profeta, Telasco Segovia, Yair Ramos, Giovanny Sequera, Bryant Ortega, Daniele Quieto, Yefferson Soteldo, Jefferson Savarino, David Martinez, Darwin Machis, Kervin Andrade, Leenhan Romero, Eduard Bello, Daniel Pereira, Edson Castillo
Forwards: Salomon Rondon, Jhonder Cadiz, Lorenzo D'Agostini, Jesus Ramirez
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While Lionel Messi is back in the national-team fold, a number of Argentina regulars have pulled out of the squad due to injuries or fitness maintenance. Nico Gonzalez picked up an injury on club duty with Fiorentina, while Alejandro Garnacho, Marcos Acuna, Cristian Romero, and Paulo Dybala all withdrew from the squad with various fitness concerns.
Emiliano Martinez is out of the picture this window to serve his two-game suspension. Alexis Mac Allister is with the squad but it's unclear whether he is fit enough to start or see the field, and the same is true for German Pezzella.
Argentina predicted XI (4-3-3, right to left): Rulli (GK) — Acuna, Otamendi, Li. Martinez, Tagliafico — De Paul, E. Fernandez, Lo Celso — Messi, La. Martinez, J. Alvarez.
Full squad:
Goalkeepers: Geronimo Rulli, Juan Musso, Walter Benitez
Defenders: Gonzalo Montiel, Nahuel Molina, Leonardo Balerdi, German Pezzella, Nicolas Otamendi, Lisandro Martinez, Nicolas Tagliafico, Julio Soler
Midfielders: Leandro Paredes, Alexis Mac Allister, Rodrigo De Paul, Exequiel Palacios, Enzo Fernandez, Giovani Lo Celso, Thiago Almada, Nicolas Paz, Facundo Buonanotte
Forwards: Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez, Julian Alvarez, Valentin Carboni
What time does Venezuela vs. Argentina kick off?
This World Cup qualifying clash takes place at Estadio Monumental de Maturin in Maturin, Venezuela and kicks off on Thursday, October 10 at 5:00 p.m. local time.
Here's how that time translates across some of the major global territories:
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| USA | Thu, Oct. 10 | 5 p.m. ET |
| Canada | Thu, Oct. 10 | 5 p.m. ET |
| Australia | Fri, Oct. 11 | 8 a.m. AEDT |
| UK | Thu, Oct. 10 | 10 p.m. BST |
| India | Fri, Oct. 11 | 2:30 a.m. IST |
Venezuela vs. Argentina live stream, TV channel
Here's how to watch this World Cup qualifying match across selected areas of the world's major regions:
| Region | TV | Streaming |
| USA | — | Fanatiz |
| Canada | — | Fanatiz |
| UK | — | bet365 |
| Australia | — | — |
| India | — | — |
