AMERICANALMANAC (Ken Jacobs) - Lionel Messi walks away from Argentina after father's death and World Cup heartbreak
Lionel Messi announced his retirement from Argentina's national soccer team on August 31, citing his father's death and the belief that younger players deserve the stage he held for two decades. The 39-year-old posted the news on Instagram, a photo of a handwritten message scrawled across three pieces of notebook paper, written in Spanish. He […] The post Lionel Messi walks away from Argentina after father's death and World Cup heartbreak appeared first on American Almanac .
Lionel Messi announced his retirement from Argentina's national soccer team on August 31, citing his father's death and the belief that younger players deserve the stage he held for two decades. The 39-year-old posted the news on Instagram, a photo of a handwritten message scrawled across three pieces of notebook paper, written in Spanish. He said he first put pen to paper on July 21, just two days after Argentina lost to Spain in the World Cup Final at MetLife Stadium. He held the letter for more than five weeks. His father, Jorge Messi, fell seriously ill in the interim, and died on August 8 in Rosario, Argentina , at age 68. The elder Messi also served as his son's agent. His death, Just The News reported , deepened the emotional toll…Open