Argentina in turmoil as Messi exits
Print Edition
LIONEL Messi sensationally announced his international retirement leaving Argentinian football in turmoil after a traumatic 2-4 penalty shootout defeat to Chile in the Copa America Centenario final in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The heartbroken Barcelona superstar left the field in tears on Sunday after missing a spot-kick in the shootout — Messi’s fourth straight defeat in a major final with Argentina.
“For me the national team is over,” the crestfallen 29-year-old told reporters.
“I’ve done all I can, I’ve been in four finals and it hurts not to be a champion. It’s a hard moment for me and the team, and it’s difficult to say, but it’s over with the Argentina team.”
“We were all devastated in the dressing room, particularly Leo, I’d never seen him in such a state,” said Manchester City star Sergio Aguero who warned that other players could also quit the national side.
“It’s likely that Messi won’t be the only one to go into international retirement. It’s our toughest defeat to take.”
Aguero did not say whether he would follow Messi in quitting but his name and that of Javier Mascherano were mentioned in media reports.
Social media campaigns were immediately launched in Argentina in a bid to get the superstar to change his mind.
The hashtags “NotevayasLeo” — Don’t go Leo — and “Messiquedate” — Messi stay — spread quickly in the fallout.
Messi’s dramatic announcement followed Argentina’s third loss in a major final in three years. It was beaten 0-1 by Germany in the final of the 2014 World Cup and lost on penalties, also to Chile, in the 2015 Copa America final.
Messi also tasted defeat with Argentina in 2007 Copa final.
Despite a glittering career that has seen him named FIFA World Player of the Year five times, Messi has faced persistent sniping from critics in Argentina.
While universally regarded as one of the greatest footballers ever, he has regularly been targeted for his inability to land a major title with Argentina.
Messi’s failure to match the achievements of Diego Maradona, who single-handedly carried the team to victory in the 1986 World Cup, has often been held against him.
But Chile’s victorious Argentine coach Juan Antonio Pizzi said comparisons with Maradona were unfair. “My generation can’t compare him with Maradona, because of what Maradona did for Argentine soccer. But it seems that the best player in history played in the United States. For me the numbers are impossible to argue with.”
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