After Angel di Maria and Lionel Messi scored against Venezuela on Saturday night, both made statements about their retirement from the national team.
It has been clear since November that Argentina will be at the World Cup in Qatar – but there was still another football festival in Buenos Aires on Friday night, in a 3-0 World Cup qualifying victory over Venezuela. The two attackers obviously enjoyed the spectacular atmosphere in front of 54,000 spectators at the Bombonera of the Boca Juniors, with goals worth seeing from di Maria and Messi, and hinted after the final whistle that it would be their last international match in front of their home crowd.
“I have always dreamt about everything I experienced on that wonderful night. It was probably my last game wearing this jersey in Argentina,” di Maria wrote on Instagram a few hours after the final whistle. The 34-year-old would still be playing in the World Cup in Qatar in November and December, but after that he will be finished in the national jersey.
Messi, a record international player and scorer (160 appearances, 81 goals), also hinted at retirement after the 2022 World Cup. “After the World Cup I will think about many things, whether it goes well or badly. But after the World Cup, definitely some things will change.” Messi’s club-level contract with PSG expires six months after the World Cup. He did not hint at whether, where or for how long he would like to continue playing after that.
After winning the Copa America: Last chance for World Cup title
So his fifth World Cup could also be the last big international stage for the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner. In the summer of 2021, di Maria and Messi won the Copa America together. The two narrowly missed out on the World Cup in 2014 when they lost to Germany in the final – “La Pulga” had already failed to win against Germany in 2006 and 2010.
