Lionel Messi says he's retiring from international soccer after Copa America loss

[Teh One Who Knocks]

FOX Sports




Lionel Messi told reporters after Argentina's Copa America Centenario final loss to Chile on penalty kicks that he has decided to retire from the national team. The superstar, who lost his fourth major tournament final and third in as many years on Sunday night, said that after so many missed chances, he is ready to step away.

Messi became Argentina's all-time leading goalscorer during Copa America Centenario, but it was not an easy tournament. In addition to the way it ended, he spoke out about problems with the Argentina federation, although he did not bring that up when he told reporters of his decision to quit international soccer.

It has been a hard few years for Messi with Argentina. While losing in the 2007 Copa America was rough, he was not the centerpiece of the team and megastar that he has become since. By the time he went to the World Cup in 2014, the pressure was on him to deliver for his country and end Argentina's trophy drought, which went back to 1993. But Argentina fell in the final, losing in extra time to Germany. Last year, La Albiceleste were back in a final, this time Copa America, but they went down to Chile in penalty kicks. On Sunday night, history repeated itself as Chile prevailed on penalty kicks again.

[Fodster]

It has been a hard few years for Messi ...

yeh I bet, earning 7m a year must be fucking awful!

[Goofy]

Messi's in the huff, Messi's in the huff!!!! Fuckin' big bairn

[Godfather]

Give him a break guys... Today was the biggest upset in English history since..... Friday

[redred]

A Canadian talking about football, I can't make no sense of what he meant