Argentinian superstar Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football after his team went down to Chile in the Copa America finals today.
The Chileans beat Argentina 4-2 on a penalty play after the match resulted in a 0-0 score at full time. The final moments of the game were devastating for the South American team when Messi's penalty shot attempt amounted to a fly over the cross bar. Chile's Francisco Silva was able to convert the shootout to take out the country's second consecutive Copa America title.
“For me the national team is over. I've done all I can, it hurts not to be a champion,” Messi said after the game.
The news will no doubt be saddening to his legions of fans but defeat in the series has not come lightly over the years. Messi was playing just two days after his 29th birthday when the loss came about, marking the third consecutive time his team has lost to extra time. The first was in the 2014 World Cup against Germany and the second to Chile in last year's Copa America.
At the end of the match Messi could be seen fighting back tears as team mates and his opponents consoled him.
[via Fox Sports]