Argentina fans can breathe a sigh of relief after their captain, star player and leader Lionel Messi returned to training today.
With just ten days to go before the World Cup, the alarm bells will have been at full volume last week when Messi picked an Achilles tendon injury. The inflammation kept him out of training for just shy of a week and prohibited him from playing for Paris Saint-Germain against Lorient last weekend.
Today he was back on the training pitch though and took part in the entire session. As per Sport, he should be available for their tie against Auxerre this weekend.
The likelihood is that Messi was being more cautious than he normally would be anyway, having admitted this will be his last World Cup. Nevertheless, any slight problem will have Argentina concerned. It was his brilliant form that led the Albiceleste to the Copa America final last summer and ended their 29-year wait for a trophy. Their World Cup chances would be significantly reduced without him.