By Andrew Warshaw
June 29 – Lionel Messi has been urged to reconsider his surprise decision to quit international football by Diego Maradona, Argentina’s president Mauricio Macri and, it seems, virtually the whole of his country.
The best player in the world left the field in tears after missing a spot-kick in the Copa America Centenario penalty shoot-out against Chile on Sunday and promptly announced his retirement.
But is it really the end at just 29 years of age?
Maradona told La Nacion newspaper: “He has to stay because he still has playing days ahead of him. He will go to Russia [2018 World Cup] in form to be world champion.”
Sunday’s loss was Messi’s fourth defeat in an international final for Argentina but Maradona blamed the recent lack of trophies on the country’s football association (AFA) rather than the Barcelona superstar. “Those who are saying he should quit are doing it so that we won’t see what a disaster Argentine football has become,” Maradona said.
Preparation for the Copa America had not been plain sailing for Messi who had to cope with the much publicised tax fraud trial in Spain with his father. After an outpouring of shock by fans, Macri joined the calls for him to reconsider. “He called him and told him how proud he feels of the national team’s performance and asked him not to listen to the criticism,” a spokesman for Macri said.
Messi has won eight La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues for Barcelona and has been awarded the Ballon d’Or five times but his only major international honour is Olympic gold in 2008.
Argentina are already six games into their qualification campaign for the 2018 World Cup. They are third in the table, two points behind leaders Uruguay. The top four teams progress to the finals in Russia, while the team finishing fifth qualifies for a two-legged play-off against the best team from Oceania.
Another Argentine newspaper Clarin declares in an editorial: “Come back and forgive us, Leo”, adding that Argentina “will always be waiting” for his return.
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