Angry Messi vows to play on after latest heartache

Lionel Messi vowed to extend his international career after yet another bid to win a major title with Argentina ended in failure

The 32-year-old Barcelona star, who infamously quit international football after Argentina’s defeat in the 2016 Copa América Centenario final, said he had no plans to hang up his boots after a 2-0 semifinal loss to Brazil.

“If I can still help in any way, I will continue to do so. I feel really good in this group,” said the five-time Ballon d’Or winner. “This is a good, talented generation who showed that they love the national team. They have a future and great foundations, they just need to be given time.”

Messi will get another chance to break his tournament duck next year when the Copa América takes place in Argentina and Colombia, with the 2022 World Cup looming further on the horizon.

Coach Lionel Scaloni meanwhile insisted his new-look squad had a bright future despite the defeat.

“Without a doubt, today we showed that this group of players feel the jersey like no-one else,” he said. “We showed an image for the future of this squad and these players and the great path they are on. To play in this stadium, in these conditions and to be superior to our opponents. It doesn’t matter because they’re going to the final but if we’re aware of what we did today then there’s only positives.”

He said the defeat was “unfair” claiming that “no other team has created as many goal-scoring chances against Brazil as we did.”

Messi’s best chance came on 57 minutes when he volleyed against the post. Scaloni said the veteran was Argentina’s “standard-bearer.”

“Brazil were continuously trying to stop passes from reaching him and we kept looking for ways to get him the ball,” Scaloni said. “It was thrilling to see him play. It didn’t work out today but he’ll have his rematch and the whole squad will have their rematch.”