体坛英语新闻：Messi joins Argentina in prelude to Copa America

SANTIAGO, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Argentina and Barcelona forward, Lionel Messi, arrived in Chile on Tuesday to join with his national team in the run up to the Copa America tournament which kicks off on Thursday.

The world-class footballer arrived in Santiago accompanied by Barecelona teammate and fellow countryman Javier Mascherano after their Spanish side won the Champions League on Saturday against Italian side Juventus.

After arriving, the defender and the forward travelled immediately to the northern city of La Serena to join in with their national team managed by "Tata" Gerardo Martino.

Argentina, make-up part of Group B in the tournament alongside Paraguay, Uruguay and Jamaica.0 Having not won the tournament since 1993 in Ecuador, the team will be hungry for victory.

Argentina will kick off their Copa America campaign on Saturday at 18:30 local time (21:30 GMT) against Paraguay in the La Portada stadium in La Serena, around 400 kilometres north of the Chile's capital.