He has yet to win a Copa America final or a World Cup.
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The 4-2 loss on penalty kicks, following a 0-0 draw, was the fourth disappointment in major worldwide finals for Argentina’s national team.
Argentinian media are reporting that the likes of Sergio Aguero, Angel Di Maria and others are set to retire from worldwide football like Lionel Messi. But as it turns out, that missed penalty turned out to be his final kick in an Argentina shirt, since he has reportedly retired from the national team.
Messi’s failure to match the achievements in the Argentina jersey of Diego Maradona, who single-handedly carried the team to victory in the 1986 World Cup, has often been held against him. “Several of us are considering not continuing to play [with Argentina]”, Aguero said.
“I do it from a point of view that’s very personal – everyone should do so from a personal point of view – and in my point of view Messi is the best player of all time”. “I think he’ll reflect on it”, Romero said.
“I get annoyed by the people who attack you without thinking”. He has won eight La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues for the European club – and boasts just a 2008 Olympic gold medal when he represented his home country.
Fans in Argentina did not want to believe that their superstar was quitting.
But a distraught Messi said that his decision was final.
“The first thing that came to my head on the field, and thinking about it in the locker room, was that it’s over: I’m done with the national team”, he told Argentina’s TyC Sports in the locker room after the game. There was also the 2007 Copa America final against Brazil, when he was still a wunderkind, and then an extra-time loss to Germany in the 2014 World Cup.
“I’ve done all I can; I’ve been in four finals and it hurts not to be a champion”.
Argentina hero Lionel Messi is pretty handy with the ball at his feet, and he was one of the players enlisted to test out the Brazuca for Adidas.
Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Romero saved the opening kick by Arturo Vidal, and up stepped Messi, Argentina’s captain and career scoring leader with 55 goals. “I tried everything possible”, he continued.
Argentines begged Lionel Messi not to abandon the national team before the 2018 World Cup after he tearfully announced his retirement in frustration at another last-gasp global defeat. Argentine players such as Javier Mascherano, Sergio Aguero and Lucas Biglia may also retire soon.
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“It’s likely that Messi won’t be the only one to go into worldwide retirement”, said Aguero.
