Argentina and Barcelona star Lionel Messi has sensationally retired from international football following his country’s penalty shootout loss in the Copa America final.
The 29-year old missed the opening spot kick against Chile in the tournament final, leading to a heartbreaking 4-2 defeat on penalties.
“For me the national team is over.” he said. “I’ve done all I can, it hurts not to be a champion.”
Reiterating, he continued with, “It’s a hard moment for me and the team, and it’s difficult to say, but it’s over with the Argentina team.”
Messi and his Argentine team have now tasted defeat in three major finals in as many years, all in extra time thrillers.
The No. 1 ranked side in the world lost 1-0 to Germany in the 2014 World Cup, they followed it up with a Copa America loss on penalties to Chile in 2015, a feat they would repeat this year.
He was also on the wrong end of a 2007 Copa America final, making his finals history unattractive reading.
Born in Rosario, Messi has won a mammoth eight La Liga and four Champions League titles with Barcelona across a decade plus career.
Despite his domestic success with the Spanish giants, he has failed to gain the same success on the international stage, a gold medal from the 2008 Olympics in Beijing being his only real bonus.
He is also Argentina’s greatest ever goalscorer, surpassing the previous mark just days ago in the semi-final.
Although his reasoning and intentions are not yet fully known, his domestic career in La Liga remains intact for the time being.
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