Lionel Messi hopes team-mate Angel Di Maria can sign off with "another goal" when Argentina face Colombia in Sunday's Copa America final. (More Football News)
Di Maria announced in November that the tournament in the United States would mark the last ꦚtime he represents his country, for whom he has earned 144 caps.
The 36-year-old h🍰as played a crucial role in La Albicele🤪ste's success in recent years, scoring the winner against Brazil in the 2021 Copa America final, while netting in the 2022 World Cup final victory over France.
Di Maria, who also scored the only goal against Nigeria in the 2008 Olympic final, continues to demo⭕nstrate his importance for Lionel Scaloni's side, playing in four of their five games en route to their sixth Copa final in eight editions.
And Messi wants his fellow winger to make one more vital co🐬ntribution before bringing the curtain down on his illustrious international career.
"Who knows? Maybe he'll score another goal in the final, like he did in a🦩ll the previous ones he's played in. It would be extraordinary," the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner saidಞ in an interview with Direct TV Sports.
"We always tell him that if everything goes well, we have World Cup qualifiers coming up. Nevertheless, 'Fideo' [Di Maria] has made up his mind and there's nothing th꧙at can change it."
Sh♕ould he appear in the final, Di Maria would join Javier Zanetti on 145 caps, behind only Messi (186) and Javier Mascherano (147) on Argentina's all-time list.
Meanwhile, his tally of 31 goals is on✱ly bettered for La Albiceleste by Messi (109), Gabriel Batistuta (56), Sergio Aguero (41), Hernan Crespo (45) and 🐻Diego Maradona (34), and he knows he can retire from international duty with his head held high.
"I'm not ready for my laꦇst game with the national team, but now it's time," an emotional Di Maria said.
"A thousand things could happen [in the 🐼final], but I think that whatever happens, I can leave through the big door. I've done everything to be able to leave through that door.
"I'll take a lot of trophies with me, but the people, team-mates and friends I'll t♔ake with me is something you can't buy with anything."
