EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Barcelona star Lionel Messi might never play for
Argentina again, after Sunday night's Copa America final loss to Chile.
Argentina lost 4-2 on penalties to Chile after a 0-0 draw in MetLife
Stadium, and an emotional Messi said after the match that his career with the
national team is over.
"My thinking right now and thinking about it in the locker room, I'm
done playing with the national team," he told a group of reporters, including
ESPN's Diego Monroig.
Asked if he were retiring, the 29-year old said, "I tried my hardest.
It's been four finals, and I was not able to win. I tried everything possible.
It hurts me more than anyone, but it is evident that this is not for me. I want
more than anyone to win a title with the state team, but unfortunately, it did
not happen."
Messi, who lost the 2014 World Cup final and three Copa
America finals while playing for Argentina, was then asked if he would wear his
country's shirt again.
"I don't think so," he said. "I've thought about it. Like I
said earlier, I tried everything possible to win. And that's it. It's four
finals lost."
Now that Messi has gone on record with his intention to end his
international career, several of his long-time international colleagues could
follow. Sources have told ESPN's Diego Monroig that Sergio Aguero, Javier
Mascherano and Lucas Biglia are also planning to retire. Additionally, Ever
Banega, Ezequiel Lavezzi, Angel Di Maria and Gonzalo Higuain are also
considering their international futures, according to many reports.
Aguero told reporters after the match, "Some of us are evaluating not
playing for the national team anymore.
"Some (players) in the locker room are looking really bad; I don't
think they'll continue with the national team. If you believe about it,
creating opportunities for other players is a good thing for the national
team."
Aguero added, referencing Messi's missed penalty kick in the shootout:
"Lamentably, the most f---ed up is Leo, because of the penalty. It's the
worst I've seen him in the dressing room.
"We are hurting because of Messi -- there's no explanation to what
happened to him. He tried it all to get the championship for us. For us, he's
still the best player of the world.
"I really don't know how to explain [the loss]. We tried and did
everything we could do and out of the past two finals this has been the
toughest one to swallow. I truly don't know what the other players are
thinking, but I've never seen anything like what I saw today.
Messi, who made his senior international debut in 2005, is his country's
all-time top scorer, with 55 goals from 113 appearances. He rocked his
teammates with the news, with goalkeeper Sergio Romero saying the No. 10 might
have made a rapid decision.
"I think that Leo spoke in the heat of the moment because a good
opportunity passed us by," Romero said. "I can't imagine the national
team without Messi."
The news comes off the back of Messi's criticising the Argentine football
federation (AFA) ahead of the final and enlightening in a news conference on
Friday that he had a backlog of complaints with the AFA.
Argentina manager Gerardo Martino, who had not heard about Messi's
retirement when he spoke to the press after the match, urged his entire squad
to continue playing for the Albiceleste regardless of their frustrations
with the AFA.
"My impression is that they don't have any reason not to
continue," Martino said. "We're in the middle of a very difficult
World Cup qualification, which will continue in September. Besides, they've
done well. They don't have too much to scold themselves over.
"Regarding the political situation, there's not much to say. It's the similar
situation that's been going on for the last six months. The result doesn't
change our view of these past six months or the problems that may have
arisen."