IT WAS billed as the return of Lionel Messi to South Africa.

But now the Barcelona star is no longer coming. Argentina, the 2014 World Cup finalists, have snubbed a friendly match against Bafana Bafana in favour of South American opposition ahead of this year's Copa America tournament in Chile.

SA Football Association president Danny Jordaan confirmed this week that the clash, which had been billed to be played at the Moses Mabhida Stadium next month, would no longer go ahead.

"I don't think Argentina will come now, maybe later because they are going into the Conmebol Nations Cup, and that is where their focus is," Jordaan said.

"They have indicated that they would prefer to play South American teams in preparation for that competition.

"So, I don't think they will come, but we have a programme to bring the biggest teams in the world here and we may look at some of the teams in the continent . for some other date."

The Copa America kicks off on June 11 until July 4 and Argentina, who were beaten 1-0 in the World Cup final by Germany last year, are in Group B alongside Uruguay, Paraguay and Jamaica.

The side captained by Messi - who first came to SA for the World Cup in 2010 - would have been the second world football powerhouse to face Bafana in their own back yard in a short space of time after Brazil's visit to South Africa in March.

Jordaan said Safa would look to set up friendly matches against Africa's best ahead of Bafana's upcoming qualifiers for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations and 2018 World Cup in Russia.

"CAF will soon release the dates for the Nations Cup qualifiers and the draw for the World Cup qualifiers will take place in St Petersburg (Russia) in July, and then we will know how tough it is going to be."