Argentine maestro Lionel Messi has committed that he will keep playing for the senior national team beyond the final of the Copa America 2024 that will be held on Sunday.
“As I’ve said before, I intend to continue,” he said Tuesday night after Argentina’s 2-0 win over Canada. “I intend to keep living day by day without thinking about what will come in the future or whether I’ll continue or not. It’s something I just live each day. I’m 37 years and only God knows when the end will be.”
Messi notched his 109th international score and the first of the current edition of the tournament in the recently-concluded game.
I still remember when everyone destroyed Lionel Messi for his career with Argentina.
He has now produced 58 G/A in his last 55 games for Argentina.
All of this while captaining his country to winning the World Cup, Copa América and Finalissima and with another Final coming up. pic.twitter.com/9QsdLqVmLN
— 𝐀𝐅𝐂 𝐀𝐉𝐀𝐗 💎 (@TheEuropeanLad) July 10, 2024
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner spoke outside the locker room at MetLife Stadium, where he announced his retirement after missing a penalty kick in the shootout loss to Chile in the 2016 Copa America final. He reversed his decision seven weeks later and has scored 54 goals in 73 international appearances since, raising his matches for Argentina to 186 as he helped win the 2021 Copa America and 2022 World Cup.
Angel di Maria to hang boots
Teammate Ángel Di María does intend to retire after Sunday’s game against Uruguay or Colombia at Miami Gardens, Florida. The 36-year-old Di María made his international debut in 2008 and has 31 goals in 144 appearances.
“It’s my last battle. There’s nothing left to say that I haven’t said a lot of times before,” Di María explained. “It’s my last game. I have to say thank you to all Argentineans and to this generation that has allowed me to lift so many trophies.”
Ángel Di María’s final Argentina game will be the Copa América final 🫡
‘I’m not ready for my last game with the national team, but it’s time. Whatever happens in the final, I think I can leave through the front door—I gave everything’ pic.twitter.com/4k3utKFubD
— B/R Football (@brfootball) July 10, 2024
Di María joined with Messi to lead Argentina to it’s third World Cup and 15th Copa America title. “We’ve enjoyed him so much,” Messi said. “He’s always given his all and the best of himself and that he will retire in a final is something he simply deserves.”
Scaloni keen on Di Maria continuing
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni held out hope Di María will reverse his decision.
“We don’t want to start crying right now. We don’t want to feel melancholy,” Scaloni said. “We have to let him play and then we’ll see if we can convince him or not to stay with us.”
Lionel Scaloni: “We will never close the door for Messi. He can be with us whenever he wants, even after he retires. If I go somewhere else, I’ll take him with me if he wants.” pic.twitter.com/pynDIv5uJC
— All About Argentina 🛎🇦🇷 (@AlbicelesteTalk) July 10, 2024
South American World Cup qualifying resumes in September, with each national team scheduled to play 12 more matches. The 2026 World Cup final will be at MetLife, that July 19.
“We will never be the ones to close the door,” Scaloni said. “He can be with our team for as long as he wants to be. And if he wants to retire but still come and hang around, it would be great. And if he wants to come with me to somewhere else, I will take him everywhere so he can decide whatever he wants to do.”
(With Reuters inputs)