Messi shocked everyone when he announced his retirement from the Argentina national team in the summer of 2016. Let’s find out with GOAL the reason behind this decision.
Why did Lionel Messi announce his farewell to the Argentina national team?
Messi announced his retirement from national team football after Argentina lost the Copa America final for the second time in two consecutive years to Chile.
“For me, the national team is finished. I did my best. It hurts not to become champion,” the 29-year-old Barcelona superstar told reporters.
Chile beat Argentina in the final for the second time in a row, 4-2 in a penalty shootout after finishing 0-0 in the match that concluded the 16-nation expanded edition in the US to celebrate the tournament’s 100th anniversary.
Messi and Lucas Biglia are the two players who missed a penalty for Argentina.
It was the third straight loss at a major international tournament for Messi and his teammates after losing to Germany at the 2014 World Cup and twice to Chile at the 2015 and 2016 Copa America.
What titles has Messi won with Argentine football?
Fortunately, Messi agreed to return to the Argentina national team instead of being determined to retire from the team. Below are the titles Leo has won with the national team:
| Year | Tournaments |
|---|---|
| 2021 | America Cup |
| 2022 | World Cup |
| 2022 | Very final
|
