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Barcelona playmaker and Argentina captain, Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football after his country’s loss to Chile in the final of the Copa America Centenario early this morning.
Messi missed his kick in the penalty shootout in his 112th appearance for the La Albiceleste as Argentina lost their third major final in three years, following last year’s continental final defeat to chile and the 2014 World Cup final loss to Germany.
Argentina also lost to Chile in the last Copa America.
Messi said after the match:
“It’s tough; it’s not the time for analysis”
“In the dressing room, I thought that this is the end for me with the national team; it’s not for me.
“That’s the way I feel right now, it’s a huge sadness once again and I missed the penalty that was so important. I tried so hard to be champion with Argentina. But it didn’t happen. I couldn’t do it.”
Messi confirmed the news on Argentina’s Twitter account.
The four-time world footballer of the year quits international soccer as Argentina’s all-time leading goalscorer, having netted 55 times for his country, surpassing Gabriel Batistuta last week.
