Angel Di Maria has played a key role in Argentina’s success throughout his career and he has proven his excellence on the national team throughout the years. Di Maria scored in the Olympic final in 2008, the Copa America final in 2021 and the World Cup final in 2022. In fact, he scored the game-winning goal in the 2021 Copa America final.
Lionel Scaloni has commended the 35-year-old World Cup champion from Argentina, stating that Angel Di Maria deserves the recognition accorded to Lionel Messi, Diego Maradona, and Mario Kempes for his outstanding contributions to the national team. Di Maria not only leaves as a multiple-time Copa America winner but also as a World Cup champion.
Angel Di Maria announces to retire after 2024 Copa America
Since making his debut in 2008, Di Maria has represented Argentina in 136 appearances, featuring in four World Cups and scoring in the 2022 final triumph against France. Hence, on Thursday, he announced that his international career will be a wrap after the 2024 Copa America in the United States.
Angel Di Maria participated in Argentina’s recent 1-0 triumph over arch-rivals Brazil at the Maracaná. He entered the game in the 78th minute, replacing captain Lionel Messi, contributing to Brazil’s first-ever home defeat in Conmebol World Cup qualifiers.
At the Maracaná in 2021, Angel Di Maria made history by scoring the game-winning goal in the Copa America final against Brazil. As a key member of Lionel Scaloni’s Argentina side, the experienced forward played a crucial role in Argentina’s triumph at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and he bows out a World Cup winner.
Angel Di Maria also condemned the incident at the Maracana stadium, saying,
“Unfortunately, we can’t let the events that took place in the stadium happen, nobody deserves that treatment, nor the beatings. Families and children were scared in the middle of a stadium where the only thing that should have happened was to watch and enjoy a match. Hopefully, this kind of thing won’t happen again. We as players will always defend our fans.”
He further added, announcing his retirement from international football thus, “The Copa América will be the last time I wear the Argentina shirt, with all the pain in my soul and feeling a lump in my throat I say goodbye to the most beautiful thing that happened to me in my career, wearing it, sweating in it and feeling it with all my pride.
Thank you fans, thank you, family, thank you, friends and teammates, we continue to make history.”
Rodrigo De Paul delivers messages to Angel Di Maria
De Paul has been Angel Di Maria’s teammate for years now, and in an emotional farewell to his beloved teammate, he wrote:
“Thank you for all the teachings you left us, for your convictions, for always guiding you by what your heart tells you.
“For your goals in the final, for the talks at any time, for the laughter, for the card games, for showing us the way, for letting us know what it takes to wear these colors, for your humility and for everything you are leaving.
“You deserve every ovation, every show of affection and every recognition. You are eternal Narigón, we still have one chapter left to write.”
Do you think Angel Di Maria will win one more Copa America before his retirement? Leave a comment in the comment section.
