Angel Di Maria was moved when captain Lionel Messi announced that he would help the midfielder born in 1988 have a happy ending at Copa America 2024 in the US.
Di Maria and Messi shone in La Albiceleste’s 2-0 win over Canada in the Copa America 2024 semi-final in the United States on the morning of July 10. The duo have the chance to join Argentina in winning three major international titles in four years if Argentina beat Colombia in the final at 7:00 a.m. on July 15.
The two Argentine stars have been associated with the iconic blue and white stripes for nearly 20 years and have achieved many successes together at the international level, culminating in the 2021 Copa America and the 2022 World Cup .
Speaking to the press, Di Maria confirmed that he will retire from international football after the 2024 Copa America final, win or lose. The former Manchester United and Real Madrid winger revealed that Messi and his teammates made a sincere commitment that moved him.
After the 2-0 semi-final win over Canada, Di Maria said: “I think I can go home with a great performance. I did everything I could to achieve that. My job is to give my all for the Argentina team.
Today before the match, Messi and my teammates said they wanted to help me reach the final and that made me very proud. That helped me achieve my wish and I am happy to win all the titles with this group.”
Di Maria confirmed that he will retire from the Argentina national team after Copa America 2024. The final match of the 36-year-old midfielder’s international career will take place at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami (USA) with a capacity of 65,326 people.
The Argentina midfielder has an impressive record for his country with 144 appearances, 31 goals and 32 assists. Di Maria is the fourth most capped player for Argentina in history.
Many teammates have tried to persuade Di Maria to change his mind. However, he insists that nothing will change and that the 2024 Copa America final against Colombia is the right time for the 36-year-old to retire.
“I’m not ready for my last match with the national team, but it’s time to do this. My teammates in Argentina won’t change my decision. After all, I’ve given my all for the national team. It’s time to say goodbye,” Di Maria choked up.
On his personal Instagram page, the 36-year-old midfielder also expressed his determination to win the Copa America 2024 with the Argentina team to have a beautiful farewell and send his thanks to his teammates and fans who have trusted and supported him throughout his career.
