Argentina fans beg Messi not to quit national team
July 3, 2016
Argentina fans have braved wet weather in Buenos Aires to ask soccer star Lionel Messi to reconsider his retirement from the national team. The 29-year-old player shocked the sports world by announcing he would quit.
"I think this is it. It's over for me on the team," Messi told reporters shortly after the match, which ended 0-0 and went to Chile after he failed to score in penalty kicks.
Argentina won't accept his resignation
Support for Messi has been strong on social media, with sports figures, artists and even politicians urging him to return. Billboards and signs across the city are also asking him to stay on.
And on Saturday, hundreds of his supporters turned out in the rain to plead with him to change his mind. "He has to come back - excuse the emotion - but it's what I feel," fan Juan Alberto Salas told the Reuters news agency. "For me, he's exceptional, a god."
A five-time World Player of the Year, Messi has played in three Copa America finals - in 2007, 2015, and 2016 - as well as in the 2014 World Cup final, with Argentina losing every time.
Messi, who moved to Barcelona as a teenager, has often faced criticism in Argentina because he has failed to deliver the country a major title - in contrast to his repeated success at his team, FC Barcelona. Ranked third among teams in South America's CONMEBOL soccer federation, Argentina is currently qualifying.
His supporters are hopeful that he'll return to play when Argentina faces rival Uruguay for a World Cup qualifier in September.
"Messi is the best player in history, both in Argentine and international football," fan Hernan Sanchez told The Associated Press. "I don't think we will see another like him in the next thousand years."
Messi missed penalties against Chile at the Copa AmericaImage: Reuters/Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
Dogged by legal troubles
In the background of Messi's emotional exit are legal troubles. Last month he appeared in court to answer charges of tax evasion. Prosecutors allege he avoided paying 4.16 million euros ($4.63 million) in taxes, and the charge could bring two years' imprisonment.
The best players never to win an international tournament
Lionel Messi's retirement after another heartbreaking final loss means he'll never win a major tournament with Argentina. But the Barcelona star isn't alone. Some of the world's best never tasted international glory.
Image: imago/United Archives
Lionel Messi
The Barcelona superstar has been the Albiceleste’s shining light since making his international debut eleven years ago. Despite the exceptional levels of success the Argentine had with his club, he couldn’t help his country to their first piece of silverware since 1993, failing to win in the Copa America final three times, and losing to Germany in the 2014 World Cup final.
Image: GettyImages/AFP/Y. Cortez
Johan Cruyff
Another case of 'so near yet so far.' Cruyff, widely considered an all-time great, lost two consecutive World Cup finals, in 1974 and 1978. The Dutch legend did manage to get to third place in the 1976 European Championships, but he never got to replicate the success he had with both Ajax & FC Barcelona.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Zico
He may have been South American Player of the Year on three different occasions and World Player of the year once, but even though he scored a staggering 66 goals in 88 appearances with Brazil, Zico never got past the quarter-finals of the World Cup.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Raul
Raul has captained the Spanish national team and scored 44 goals in 102 appearances, but unfortunately for him, this was before La Roja started winning trophies for fun. His last international appearance was on 6 September 2006 against Northern Ireland, two years before his teammates went on to win the European Championship for the first time since 1964.
Image: picture-alliance/Pressefoto Ulmer
Ferenc Puskas
The Hungarian national team of the fifties, recognized as one of the best sides of all time, didn’t lost a match for four years - and Puskas was their main man. Then came along Helmut Rahn who scored twice to win the 1954 World Cup for West Germany against the Hungarians, leaving Puskas without any international accolades.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
George Best
They used to say: “Maradona good, Pele better, George Best.” The Northern Ireland winger was one of the most talented footballers of all time and won a European Cup with his club Manchester United in 1968. However, Best did not win any international trophies for his country as Northern Ireland failed to qualify for any major tournaments during his career.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Eusebio
Many considered Eusebio to be the best player in the world after the 1966 World Cup, when his Portugal team finished in third place. But that was as close as he’s got to an international title. Luckily for him, he won many titles for his club Benfica, including ten league championships and a European Cup.
Image: Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Stanley Matthews
'The Wizard of the Dribble' was the first recipient of the European Player of the Year award in 1956 and, incredibly, played in the English top flight until the age of 50. He only played in one World Cup in 1954, when England lost to defending champions Uruguay in the quarterfinals.
Image: picture-alliance/Bildarchiv/London Express
Paolo Maldini
His technique and positioning abilities were almost as phenomenal his looks... Paolo Maldini was one of the finest defenders of his time, but even though he managed to win many titles with his club AC Milan, he did not win any for his country Italy. He came close in 1994 when Brazil beat Italy on penalties in the final.
Image: picture-alliance/Lacy Perenyi
Uwe Seeler
Uwe Seeler played for Germany for 16 years, but only got as far as the final in 1966, where the West German team lost to England. His last international tournament was the 1970 World Cup, in which his country lost in the semis against Italy. Germany went back to winning ways two years later, winning Euro 1972 and the 1974 World Cup consecutively, but he was no longer part of the team.