Farewell to an Iconic Duo: Messi and Di María
Argentina, the reigning two-time Copa América champion (2021, 2024) and 2022 World Cup winner, is bidding farewell to one of its most legendary duos: Lionel Messi and Ángel Di María. After a triumphant 1-0 victory over Colombia in the chaotic final held in Miami, Rosario natives Messi (37) and Di María (36) have decided to part ways on the field. While Messi will continue to play for Argentina in the upcoming 2026 World Cup Qualifiers, Di María has confirmed his retirement from the national team.
A Journey of Triumphs and Tribulations
The Messi-Di María partnership has been nothing short of historic. Born in the same hospital in Rosario just 235 days apart, their chemistry was evident from their early days, including their gold medal win at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Over 16 years, the duo played 114 matches together for Argentina, securing 74 wins, 27 draws, and only 13 losses. Their journey was marked by initial frustrations, including three consecutive lost finals between the 2014 World Cup and the Copa América tournaments in 2015 and 2016. However, they eventually redeemed themselves, winning four major titles: the Copa América (2021, 2024), the Finalissima (2022), and the Qatar World Cup (2022).
The Legacy and the Future
Despite the bittersweet farewell, Messi and Di María's legacy will be remembered alongside other great football partnerships like Di Stéfano-Puskas and Cruyff-Neeskens. At the Argentine concentration in Miami, there were efforts to persuade Di María to reconsider his resignation. However, he declined, stating he considers himself a former national team player. Messi, on the other hand, aims to compete in the 2026 World Cup, potentially becoming the only footballer to participate in six World Cups. Despite facing injuries and age-related challenges, Messi remains a crucial figure for Argentina, demonstrating that the team is not solely dependent on him.
The Copa América in the United States showcased Messi's enduring magic, even as biology and age began to take their toll. Injuries and a season in the MLS, a league with lower competition requirements, may have impacted his performance. Nevertheless, Argentina's victory without relying solely on Messi is a positive sign for the team's future. As Di María steps back, Messi and Argentina continue to strive for more glory, with Di María watching from the heroes' retreat.
- On August 23, 2008, in the humidity of the National Stadium in Beijing, two young Argentinians offered football lovers a moment of grace. In the 58th minute of the final of the Olympic tournament against Nigeria, a certain Lionel Messi, 21, recovered the ball near the central circle and served in depth to his teammate Ángel Di Maria, 20, who accelerated on his left foot before deceiving the goalkeeper with a marvelous lob at the edge of the area. This only goal of the match gave Argentina the second Olympic title in its history.
- Sixteen years later, the two players are preparing to be associated for the last time in the Albiceleste jersey, in the Copa America final. However, the relationship between the two prodigies and the Argentine selection has not always been idyllic: after stumbling three times on the bottom step of major tournaments, failing in the final of the 2014 World Cup and the 2015 and 2016 Copa América, Di Maria and Messi had even become the cursed symbols of an Argentina incapable of winning a major trophy since 1993.
