Argentine President Mauricio Macri on Monday joined fans and players in begging Lionel Messi not to leave the national team, after the 29-year-old player abruptly announced his intention to quit international soccer following Argentina’s defeat to Chile in the Copa America final. President Macri even started a trending hashtag ‪#‎NoTeVayasLio‬, which means “Don’t Leave Lio”, on his official twitter account, in which he said “more than ever I feel great for our team. I hope we can continue to have the joy of seeing the world’s best player for many years.” The hashtag began to trend globally from Monday.

Fans, President, Maradona Want Messi to Reconsider

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."

Messi moved to Barcelona in 2001 when he was 13, producing lots of hardware for the Catalan club. But many fans at home have criticized him for not leading the nation to a World Cup title, as Diego Maradona did in 1986.

"On top of everything, I missed the penalty kick," Messi told TyC. "I think this is best for everyone. First of all for me, and then for everyone. I think there are a lot of people who want this, who obviously are not satisfied, as we are not satisfied reaching a final and not winning it."

Fans also gathered outside the downtown office of the Argentine Football Association, many torn by Messi's promised departure.

"I feel an enormous sadness, it tears my heart in two," said 29-year-old Juan Pablo Pinasco. "It was the cup that he (Messi) had to win, more than anything it is something that he deserves and I just don't want him to leave the national team."

Another Argentine was more critical of Messi.

"He is the best, he is the best outside (of Argentina) but he just has no luck here," Guido Stanchi said. "That's it, he's got to go. The team doesn't help him. Now there has to be a change. Let some new players come, ones that have a bit more will."

Sergio Romero, Argentina's goalkeeper, said Messi spoke in the heat of the moment and he wants him to reconsider.

"It's sad because once again a beautiful chance slipped away," Romero said.

Argentine President Mauricio Macri said on Twitter that "more than ever I feel great pride for our team. I hope we can continue to have the joy of seeing the world's best player for many years."

Macri, a former president of Boca Juniors, one of Argentina's top soccer clubs, ended his tweet with the hashtag #NoTeVayasLio (#Don'tLeaveLio), which became a global trending topic and even a playlist on Spotify on Monday.

Before the Copa America, Maradona had some criticisms of Messi. "He's a great person, but he has no personality. He doesn't have the personality to be a leader," he told Brazil's Pele during an event in Paris. But on Monday, Maradona struck a paternal tone and said Messi must stay with the team and win it all.

"He has to continue!" Maradona told the site of local La Nacion newspaper. "He must go on because he has it in him and will last for a long while, because he will reach Russia in conditions to become world champion."

Argentina's next competitive match is a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay in September, and the top-ranked Albiceleste are considered among the early favorites to win the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Argentina won the World Cup in 1978 and 1986, but took its last major title in 1993 with the Copa America.

Messi, who turned 29 on Friday, won under-20 and Olympic (under-23) titles with Argentina. He has led Barcelona to four Champions League and eight Spanish league titles, scoring 453 competitive goals in 531 games, including a La Liga-record 312.

He is the national team's career leading scorer with 55 goals in 113 international appearances.

"That's it, I've already tried enough," he told TyC. "It pains me more than anyone not being able to be a champion with Argentina, but that's the way it is. It wasn't meant to be, and unfortunately I leave without having achieved it."

Source: http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/lionel-messi-quitting-argentina-national-team-40153102

Ok
i dedicate this land to flexxyworld

who he epp.

Exactly Messi 's motive for crying and announcing the retirement after losing the third consecutive final.

He knows he is going to be begged back.

Messi seems to have got a clue from General Muhammad Buhari, after losing three presidential elections in rows, He cried and said he wouldn't contest the presidential election again. Buhari was begged back to contest and he won.

Our President has inspired Messi!

Why is he begging him? Nonsense! Let him go jor he won't be missed! Otu oshi

#istandwithCr7


Lalasticlala

Argentina's problem is that their national team is not the Barca first eleven. It is Messi...and a host of some average players.

Maradona won the 1986 World Cup with some teammates who were exceptional in their own right(Buruchaga, Jose Lous Brown). Ditto Pele and the Brazilian squads of the year 1958 and 1970(1970 guys...Tostao, Rivellino, Jarzhinio, Clodolado, Carlos Alberto).

Modified...Thanks for all the responses. Wow!

Still....to slightly modify my point...Argentina has always had that problem of getting its good players together as a unit around Messi. (Maradona, during his stint as Albiceleste coach used dozens of players in the period 2009-10)....and that has always been the issue.

Who cares if you miss him,He is one of the greatest so Argentines would surely miss him not playing for their NT.Its obvious you are a Ronaldo fan....not a football fan.

They should search for new talented player to take over from him. He can not be there forever.
Ronaldo was there, now he is a coach.

Bring back our Messi

Even in bad times Messi makes history



What an epic Legend he is



Messiah is your name!!!


Remember not even world Pele nor Maradona ever got pleaded with by a whole President and a great legend to defy national team retirement after announcing.


One of the numerous records well above Penaldo!!!

And one mumu supporter is saying they love messi more than their mother.SMH

CRY CRY BABY
As much as facts put it that Messi is better than Ronaldo..
I still prefer Ronaldo..

CRY CRY BABY

Tolexander:
Exactly Messi 's motive for crying and announcing the retirement after losing the third consecutive final.

He knows he is going to be begged back.

Messi seems to have got a clue from General Muhammad Buhari, after losing three presidential elections in rows, He cried and said he wouldn't contest the presidential election again. Buhari was begged back to contest and he won.

Our President has inspired Messi!

lolz @Our President has inspired Messi!.

The President get time sha...

Am not a fans of messi or ronaldo, but to say the true. Messi have nothing to prove at international level. He should just stay with barca that's all

Egoistic cry baby. Losing is part of life.
However, the same people begging him now criticized him heavily before and during the competition. Lily-livered people; they can't even do without him and they were criticizing him.

I just hope one foolish human being won't turn this thread to Messi vs Ronaldo ish again..... Fuc.king hate that thing

AntiMessi , I want him to even quit football kpatakpata

Messi is blessed.......what more can I say?

I love dis guy sooooo much...,messi pls dont quit d national team

PLEASE mESSI GO BACK YOU'LL BE WELCOM LIKE THIS

Maradona thought he said that he shouldn't come to Argentina if they lose, now he is begging after running his mouth like sewage.

why can't messi take responsibility for failure like ronaldo is doing? behaving like a kid joor

This one na initial gragra him no day go anywere.

Its really touching. I pity the guy. Four major finals?? And to think that his efforts took them to those finals. Mehn! not many of us can take that lightly. I'm sure he will get over it soon. Shii happens.

leave......leaver.......leavest.....
somebodri plz tell messi to leave there and come to nigeria....we ll pay him more than our president and our senator..cos i no he ll make us more happy player for the eagles

Quakertellicus1:
Argentina's problem is that their national team is not the Barca first eleven. It is Messi...and a host of some average players.

Maradona won the 1986 World Cup with some teammates who were exceptional in their own right(Buruchaga, Jose Lous Brown). Ditto Pele and the Brazilian squads of the year 1958 and 1970(1970 guys...Tostao, Rivellino, Jarzhinio, Clodolado, Carlos Alberto).

Average players? what are you smoking?
While we can agree that he's better than other players in that team, they've some of the finest players in the world at this moment.
Anyone who calls Otamendi, Mascherano, Higuain, Nicolas Gaitan, Di Maria, Aguero, Pastore, Lamela etc average players must have been either delusional or unfamiliar with anything called football.

Go check their FIFA world ranking and tell me if it was only Messi's performance that made them rank that high.

prodiG:
And one mumu supporter is saying they love messi more than their mother.SMH

Lwkm

Maradona is messi's biggest problem

I hope he listen , messi is still young, moreover age on his side.