In case you hadn’t heard, Lionel Messi has retired from international football.
Yes, it’s true. The Barcelona playmaker will no longer represent his country after suffering yet another heart-breaking defeat in a final.
Despite their top billing in the Fifa World Rankings, the Argentines failed to break down a stubborn Chile side for the second year in a row and were once again defeated on penalties in the Copa America final.
The defeat was compounded by the international retirement by arguably the greatest player of all-time, who missed the decisive penalty in the final. And it seems that Argentina’s Football Association might have to take some of the blame for their side’s inability to show up on the big occasion.
Once again, Gonzalo Higuain missed a sitter in a final and it seems this final defeat was one step too far for Messi.
After beating the United States 4-0 in the Copa America semi-finals on Tuesday, the team were due to fly from Houston to New Jersey on Thursday for Sunday’s final against Chile.
But Messi – who should’ve been preparing to celebrate his 29th birthday – and his team-mate were instead left sitting in an airport waiting on a flight that had been delayed and so the captain hit out at the association.
“Once again waiting on a plane to leave for our destination,” Messi wrote.
“What a disaster the AFA are. My god!”
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