Messi announces he is quitting the Argentina national team

Hundreds of fans were waiting for the arrival of the Argentine soccer team in the rain at Buenos Aires airport in Argentina on Monday. Despite Argentina’s shocking losses to Chile in shootouts in two consecutive events of the Latin American soccer championship (Copa America), the fans came to the airport to see a player.

They gathered there to persuade Lionel Messi (29), who had expressed his intention to retire as a national team member after losing the game at the 2016 Copa America. Fans were holding up memos such as “Messi, don’t leave.” Having led his national team to win the runner-up four times in seven major championships (Copa America, World Cup), Messi said on Sunday, “I will not play for the national team anymore.”

When Messi headed to a bus after arriving at the airport, fans waved national team jerseys and national flags, chasing after him. Even when asked whether he will retire as a national team member, Messi just got into the bus without answering.

Argentine soccer hero Diego Maradona has also joined the campaign to keep Messi in the national team. Unlike Messi, Maradona helped Argentina to win the World Cup in 1986. Maradona said that Messi should continue his career as a national team player, adding that he must lead Argentina to the championship at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Argentine President Mauricio Macri also telephoned Messi and asked him not to retire. AFP reported that President Macri said that he is proud of the Argentine soccer team, and asked Messi not to mind criticism.

정윤철기자 trigger@donga.com