Chile came out on top in a 4-2 win after Lionel Messi and Lucas Biglia missed their spot kicks.
AB Wire
History repeated itself on Sunday night as Chile won the Copa America Centenario final against Argentina on penalty kicks again.
Following the loss Argentine Captain Lionel Messi told reporters that he has decided to retire from the national team.
The news came less than two hours after the final in New Jersey, where Chile beaten Argentina on penalty shoot-outs, for the second Copa final in a row.
“The national team is over for me. It’s my decision,” Messi told to a South American TV station after the loss.
Messi, 29, broke down in tears Sunday night as Argentian suffered tournament heartbreak to Chile at Metlife stadium.
After 120 minutes without goals, the decider went to penalty shootout and once again Chile came out on top in a 4-2 win after Lionel Messi and Lucas Biglia missed their spot kicks.
Messi was bothered by Chile all through the match by not giving much space to operate, but in penalties, the super star missed his mark and sent the ball into stands.
When the winning goal was scored for Chile, cameras panned to a shattered Messi sitting alone on the Argentina bench.
It was the first penalty shootout miss in Messi’s Argentina career.
“It’s tough, it’s not the time for analysis, in the dressing room I thought that the national team was over, it’s not for me.” Messi was quoted by the Argentine national team’s Twitter handle.
Apart from this Sergio Aguero said that a number of Argentina players also considering retirement.
It has been a hard few years for Messi, who made his international debut for the senior Argentina in 2005. He is Argentina’s all-time top scorer with 55 goals and the copa final was his 113th international game.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KKJIRELNcY