Messi’s Argentina retirement prompts heartfelt response from Angel Di Maria

Angel Di Maria has paid tribute to Lionel Messi after the Inter Miami forward announced his retirement from international football with Argentina.

Di Maria, a former Argentina team-mate of Messi, reposted the captain’s statement on Instagram and added the words: “Thank you, eternal captain.”

The pair were part of the Argentina side that won the FIFA World Cup in 2022, as well as the Copa America titles in 2021 and 2024.

Di Maria ended his own international career after Argentina’s victory in the 2024 Copa America. His message to Messi came shortly after the announcement by the 39-year-old, who explained that he had made a painful decision following a long period of reflection.

In a statement published on Instagram, Messi wrote: “After all this time since the final, and after a great deal of thought, I want to announce to everyone that I have decided to retire from playing for the national team.”

He added: “It was a painful decision and it still hurts me deeply, but I understand that the time has come. I swear to you that I always gave everything I had, not only during the last few years in which we achieved everything, but before that as well. I always fought and gave everything I had for this shirt, and to make you happy and make you feel proud to be Argentine through football.”

Messi’s international career has included the Copa America triumph in 2021, the FIFA World Cup success in 2022 and the Copa America victory in 2024. Di Maria shared those major achievements with him before bringing his own Argentina career to an end.

The decision follows the latest final involving Argentina, after which Messi said he had considered his future carefully. His statement made clear that the decision had not been easy, while also stressing his commitment to the national team throughout his career.

Di Maria’s brief tribute referred to Messi as the “eternal captain”, acknowledging the forward’s enduring role with Argentina. The two players were teammates during the period in which the national side secured its most significant recent international honours.

Messi remains an Inter Miami player, but his announcement means his time representing Argentina has come to an end. Di Maria’s farewell message publicly recognised the relationship between two of the central figures in Argentina’s recent successes.