Messi bids adieu to international football post Copa America drubbing

Image
ANI Washington, D.C
Last Updated : Jun 27 2016 | 11:42 AM IST

Barcelona star striker Lionel Messi on Monday announced his retirement from international football after missing a penalty in Argentina's 2-4 defeat against Chile in the Copa America Centenario final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

Following the defeat, Messi informed that he had made the decision not to appear for the national team once again.

"The national team is over for me. That's four finals (lost,) it's not for me. It's a made decision, I think," the 29-year-old was quoted as saying by goal.com.

Messi admitted that he is feeling extremely sad after missing his penalty kick, which was really crucial for his side.

After both sides failed to score goal in regulation time and extra time, Chile and Argentina were taken to penalties to decide the winner.

Messi, who was making his 112th appearance for Argentina, missed his spot-kick in the dramatic penalty shootout.

Chile striker Nicolas Castillo was the first to break the deadlock as he firmly struck the crucial spot-kick after his teammate Arturo Vidal missed his penalty.

Argentina midfielder Javier Mascherano soon levelled the score before Charles Aranguiz netted a penalty kick for Chile to put them in lead again,the Guardian reported.

Although Manchester United Sergio Aguero equalized the score for Argentina, Jean Beausejour and Jean Beausejour struck their respective penalties to ensure Chile lift their second consecutive Copa America trophy.

The defeat brought back the memories of 2015 when Chile made history on home soil by beating Argentina 4-1 in a dramatic penalty shootout to clinch the title in Santiago.

*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Jun 27 2016 | 11:42 AM IST

Next Story