Sports Desk, Bangladesh Global: Ángel Di María has announced his retirement from the Argentina national team after a 16-year career filled with highs and lows.
Known affectionately as "El Fideo," he leaves behind a rich legacy with the Albiceleste.
The 36-year-old winger had announced in November that he would retire from international duty after the tournament.
"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.
Argentine coach Lionel Scaloni took Di Maria off in the final minutes of extra-time, ensuring he received a huge farewell from the team's fans which his eyes showed he was moved by.
"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?" he said.
Di Maria, had been part of a generation with Lionel Messi who won the Olympics in 2008 but then struggled for silverware, missing out in the final stages of tournaments to the frustration of the nation.
But the 'Triple Crown', which also hands Argentine a record 16th Copa, confirms Lionel Scaloni's team's place among the greats of South American football.
"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," said the Benfica winger.
"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" he said.
During his tenure, the 36-year-old participated in four World Cups (2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022), reaching the final in Brazil 2014 and eventually winning the World Cup in Qatar 2022.
In the Copa America, the Rosario native featured in consecutive finals (2015 and 2016), falling short to Chile on both occasions. He finally lifted the continental trophy in 2021, scoring the decisive goal against Brazil at the iconic Maracanã, and subsequently securing back-to-back titles in 2024.
In addition to his senior achievements, Di María won the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2007 and claimed a gold medal at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, further cementing his legacy in Argentine football history.
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