Lionel Messi retires from international football

 
Lionel Messi has announced he is to retire from international football.
The Argentina and Barcelona forward, five times World Player of the Year, missed Argentina’s opening penalty in the Copa America shoot-out.

Messi was seen in tears in the dug-out afterwards.

It was the 112th time the 29-year-old had turned out for Argentina since his debut in 2005.

Chile eventually won 4-2 on penalties. It is their second consecutive Copa win.

In his statement, “It’s tough, it’s not the time for analysis. In the dressing room, I thought that this is the end for me with the national team, it’s not for me.”

“I tried so hard to be champion with Argentina. But it did not happen, I could not do it.”

“I think Leo spoke in the heat of the moment because we missed that great chance,” – Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Romero.