Lionel Messi arrived back in Argentina on Monday and avoided commenting on his abrupt resignation from the national team after losing the Copa America final to Chile.
Dozens of emotional fans wearing the white and sky-blue striped jerseys of the national team, adorned with Messi’s number 10, waited in the rain for the team to arrive back from the tournament in the United States.
Some followed the team bus along the road leading from the airport to the Argentine Football Association complex. They waved flags, chanted “Messi is not leaving!” and carried banners. One of them read: “Messi- I love you more than I love my mom.”
Although Messi could not be seen on the bus, AFA spokesman Ernesto Cherquis Bialo confirmed to The Associated Press that he had arrived in Buenos Aires with the rest of the team.
Some fans, players, and even Argentina’s president and the country’s greatest player Diego Maradona asked Messi to reconsider. Other supporters on Monday were simply sad that one of the all-time greats is departing the national team prematurely.
Messi shocked Argentina and the whole world with his unexpected resignation after Chile defeated Argentina 4-2 on penalties after a 0-0 draw on Sunday.
“The national team is over for me,” Messi Told the Argentine network TyC Sports. “It’s been four finals, it’s not meant for me. I tried. It was the thing I wanted the most, but I couldn’t get it, so I think it’s over.”
Messi lifted Argentina’s first penalty kick over the crossbar, setting the stage for another loss in a final. Messi and Argentina lost to Brazil in the 2007 Copa final and to Germany in extra time in the 2014 World Cup final. They lost last year’s Copa final to host Chile on penalty kicks after a 0-0 draw.
“I imagine it was a very hard blow,” Barcelona teammate Gerard Pique said. “I know how competitive he is. He will recover from this.”
