Heinze injured his knee playing for Manchester United in September

Heinze, 28, has been suffering from a knee injury and played his first senior match since September when Argentina beat their Under-20 team on Wedenesday.

"I never lost sight of my objective which was to play again so I could be at the World Cup," Heinze said.

"I'm going to show my team-mates and the medical staff and the coach who believed in me."

The Manchester United left-back added: "It was a complicated injury, I never thought I'd make it even though I had an objective and a stimulus to keep fighting.

"You think you're never going to recover. Only in the fifth month do you see things a bit more clearly."