Angel Di Maria bids emotional farewell to international football
Angel Di Maria, the star player of Argentina, has officially retired from international football following Argentina's thrilling 1-0 victory over Colombia in the Copa America final.
The 36-year-old winger had previously announced his intention to retire after the tournament, and Sunday's win provided a storybook ending to his illustrious career with the national team.
Angel Di Maria, affectionately known as "El Fideo," expressed his joy and gratitude after the match. "I dreamt it, that’s why I said it was the last Copa America and it ended here. I dreamt that I would reach the final, I dreamt that I would win it, that I would retire like this," he said, visibly moved by the outpouring of support from fans.
Argentine coach Lionel Scaloni made sure to substitute Di Maria in the final minutes of extra time, allowing him to receive a standing ovation from the crowd. "I have so many beautiful feelings..I am eternally grateful to this generation, they gave me everything, they made me achieve what I wanted so much, and today I am leaving in this way, how better than this?" Di Maria remarked.
Di Maria's international career, which began in 2008, saw him make 136 appearances for Argentina, playing in four World Cups and scoring in the 2022 final win over France.
Despite early frustrations, including several near-misses in major tournaments, Di Maria's persistence paid off with a series of significant victories in recent years.
Reflecting on his career, Di Maria said, "It seems easy but it is very difficult. I know because I lived on the other side too for ten, 11 years, fighting for it. It’s not easy to reach finals and win them. And now it’s happening, it’s like that, at some point it had to happen and I would have liked to have been able to win one too with the previous bunch of lads, we deserved it too but we kept insisting, kept fighting and these guys gave me everything."
Di Maria has been a key figure in Argentina's recent successes, including scoring the winning goal in the 1-0 victory over Brazil in the 2021 Copa America final and the crucial goal that secured the gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
The final match was delayed by over an hour due to security concerns regarding crowd control, adding to the anticipation and intensity of the event. Despite these challenges, the night ended in jubilation for Argentina and a fitting farewell for one of its greatest players.
In a tightly contested match at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium, Golden Boot winner Lautaro Martínez scored the decisive goal in the 113th minute of extra time. This victory secured Argentina's third consecutive major title, adding to their 2021 Copa America and 2022 World Cup triumphs, and marked a record 16th Copa America title for the Albiceleste.
