Dhaka, Sept. 12 -- Lionel Messi will be free to play in Argentina's opening 2022 World Cup qualifier against Ecuador next month after the forward's suspension was deemed to be no longer valid, the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) said on Thursday.

Messi received a one-match ban for an altercation with Chile's Gary Medel in the Copa America third-place playoff in July last year, which Argentina won 2-1.

CONMEBOL said the statute of limitations had elapsed after one year, meaning the 33-year-old would be available for the clash at La Bombonera in Buenos Aires on October 8. Argentina will visit Bolivia for another qualifier five days later. "The president of the AFA [Argentinian Football Association], Claudio Tapia, sent a ...