Messi announces retirement from international football

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY: Lionel Messi put his extra shot over the crossbar, snatched his shirt, gripped his teeth and put the two hands over his face.

A couple of minutes after the fact he strolled off the field, a stupified, tormented look on his whiskery face. The best player of his age, maybe soccer's best ever, he was still without a title on Argentina's national group.

"The national group is over for me," he told the Argentine system TyC Sports after Chile beat Argentina for the Copa America title Sunday night. "It's been four finals, it's not implied for me. I attempted. It was the thing I needed the most, however I couldn't get it, so I thoroughly consider it's."

Chile beat Argentina in the last for the second in a row year, 4-2 in the shootout following a 0-0 tie that finished an extended 16-country release in the United States to stamp the title's 100th commemoration.

Messi, five-time FIFA Player of the Year, victor of four Champions League titles and eight Spanish La Liga crowns with Barcelona, was pulverized. A lot of his country had depended on him to bring home its first significant title since 1993.

Playing two days after his 29th birthday celebration, Messi lost a last for the third year in succession and the fourth time in general with Argentina. There was additionally the 2007 Copa last with Brazil, when he was as yet a wunderkind, and after that an additional time thrashing to Germany in the 2014 World Cup.

A horde of 82,076 filled MetLife Stadium — the biggest to see a soccer match in New Jersey — and numerous wore his No. 10 shirt in Argentina's blue and white and Barcelona's naval force and red.

Francisco Silva changed over the shootout finale for the fifth-positioned La Roja after goalkeeper Claudio Bravo — Messi's Barcelona partner — influenced a plunging to stop on Lucas Biglia's endeavor. Chile, positioned fifth on the planet, annoy the best positioned Albiceleste.

On an irritable night that incorporated a first-half discharge on each side and eight yellow cards, the diversion was scoreless through control and 30 minutes of additional time, with Argentina's Gonzalo Higuain missing an unmistakable objective scoring open door for the third straight last. Argentina outshot Chile 16-4 and La Roja fallen three, four and even five safeguards around Messi, at that point slashed down the small aggressor when he attempted to quicken toward the objective.

Messi, who scored five objectives in the competition, sent a free kick that Sergio Aguero almost headed in 10 minutes into additional time, just to have Bravo hop and stretch out his correct hand to tip the ball over the crossbar. Messi's free kick in additional time went off the divider.

Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Romero spared the opening kick by Arturo Vidal, and up ventured Messi, considered nearby Brazil's Pele and Argentina's Diego Maradona as the game's most noteworthy ever. While he won the titles at the under-20 and Olympic (under-23) levels for Argentina, in the brains of numerous he needs a title with his country's senior group to cement his place in history

Messi sent his shot over Bravo into the stands. Nicolas Castillo and Charles Aranguiz changed over their kicks for Chile, and Javier Mascherano and Sergio Aguero made theirs, leaving the groups tied 2-2 after three rounds.

Jean Beausejour put Chile ahead, and Bravo plunged on his right side, sparing Biglia's shot and raising Silva, a 30-year-old midfielder. Messi quickly pulled his pullover of his face, as though not having any desire to watch.

Romero plunged to one side and the shot went in on his right side, giving Chile another title.

Messi hunched over, as though in torment, at that point got up, removed his skipper's armband and strolled to the seat, where he was supported by Angel Di Maria. After Messi returned on the field, Aguero put a hand on one of Messi's shoulders. What's more, new FIFA President Gianni Infantino gave Messi a congratulatory gesture when Messi went onto the platform with his partners for his second-put decoration. Messi very quickly took it off.

The competition's normal horde of 46,119 was about twofold the 25,223 in Chile a year ago, and participation will be utilized by the U.S. Soccer Federation as support it should have a World Cup once more, likely as a component of an offer for the 2026 competition.

Brazilian official Heber Lopes turned into the concentration in the primary half, catapulting a couple of safeguards: Chile's Marcelo Diaz in the 28th moment and Argentina's Marcos Rojo in the 43rd. In the wake of issuing six yellow cards amid a World Cup qualifier between the countries in March, Lopes passed out eight yellows, including one to Messi for making a plunge the 40th moment, and the two reds.

Diaz got his first yellow for hacking down Messi around 28 yards out in the sixteenth moment, at that point got his second to obstruct a charging Messi around 30 yards out. Rojo got a straight red when he slid into Arturo Vidal from behind and jabbed away the ball, yet Vidal's leg twisted gracelessly under his body as he fell.

Higuain had the best first-half possibility in the 21st moment when he got a giveaway from Gary Medel, spilled in and chipped the ball over Bravo just to have it move wide of the far post. It was nearly the correct time he broke in alone amid the World Cup last against Germany and furthermore shot wide. Higuain additionally missed a tap-in of Ezequiel Lavezzi's cross amid the last moment of control in a year ago's last, at that point sent his extra shot amid the shootout over the crossbar.