Angel Di Maria, the Argentine star winger, has been a formidable figure for La Albiceleste contributing significantly to their success in lifting the Copa America trophy as champions of South America and achieving World Cup glory. Di Maria has played a key role and has stepped up for his national team on multiple occasions.
Since making his senior national team debut for Argentina in 2008, the winger achieved his first triumph in Argentine colors at the Beijing Olympics alongside Lionel Messi. He has confirmed that he will retire from international soccer next year, in 2024.
Angel Di María conforms to retire from Argentina international soccer
Argentina returned to Rio De Janeiro’s iconic Maracana stadium for the first time since their Copa America final 1-0 win over arch-rival Brazil in 2021. Di Maria scored the only goal in the final, bringing much-awaited international glory.
A similar story unfolded in the recent World Cup qualifiers clash between Argentina and Brazil. On this occasion, the world champions created yet another historic moment with a 1-0 win, handing Brazil their first-ever defeat on home soil in a World Cup qualification match on Tuesday, November 21.
In a historic win, Benfica winger Di Maria came on as a substitute to replace Captain Messi in the 77th minute following a knock. The 35-year-old forward announced his decision to retire from international soccer after the Copa America in 2024, having made 136 appearances for the national team so far.
The former Real Madrid star wrote, “The Copa America will be the last time I wear the Argentine shirt, with all the pain of the soul and feeling a lump in my throat I say goodbye to the most beautiful thing that happened to me in my career, dress it, sweat it and FEEL it with all my pride,” on social media.
Angel Di María led Argentina to win in the 2022 World Cup final with two goals
The Argentine PSG star returned to the Portuguese club Benfica this summer, a club he initially represented from 2007 to 2010 before making a significant move to the 14-time UCL winners, Real Madrid.
The reunion with Benfica followed a brief one-year stint at Juventus. Di Maria has also played for other top clubs in his career, including PSG and Manchester United.
Angel Di Maria and Lionel Messi, the iconic duo, led Argentina to their third World Cup title in Qatar last year.
Di Maria scored an important second goal for his side in the final against France, a match that Argentina managed to win on penalties. In the group stages, he provided the go-ahead assist to Lionel Messi’s wonder goal in a 2-0 must win victory over Mexico when Argentina were on the brink of facing group stage elimination.
Now El Fideo has announced that he will be hanging up his boots following one last dance come Copa America 2024.
