What a blow it is for fans of football that the international career of one of the geniuses of the game was to end with a penalty blazed over the bar. This was not the way or the place for Lionel Messi to say goodbye to the national colours. On June 27, 2016, the world woke up to the sensational news of Lionel Messi’s retirement from Argentina colours after La Albiceleste crashed to another final defeat against Chile in the final of Copa America. Messi told the reporters that for him the national team was over. Arguably, the best player of all times, Messi has tasted success at all levels with Barcelona, but has not been able to replicate his club heroics with the national team as Argentina succumbed to the third consecutive final defeat of a major tournament in three years. The heartbroken Barcelona superstar was distraught over his fourth straight defeat in a major final while representing Argentina. The announcement has sent shock waves in Argentinian camp, and the rumours are ripe that some other players, including Sergio Aguero, Javier Mascherano and Gonzalo Higuain, are also considering quitting the national team. Although he had missed the first game of the tournament through injury, Messi returned as a substitute in the next game against Panama, scoring a hat-trick in 19 minutes. Messi had also equalled Argentina’s international goal scoring record of 54, held by Gabriel Batistuta, in the quarter-finals before setting a new mark with his 55th international goal in the semi-final win over the United States. Despite a glittering career with five Ballon d’Or awards to his name, and leading the team to three finals of the major tournaments, Argentinian fans have criticised Messi for his alleged “lack of sincerity” to the national team. Messi’s failure to match the achievement in the Argentina jersey of Diego Maradona, who single-handedly carried the team to the victory in 1986 World Cup, has often been held against him both by the fans and Maradona himself. Maradona along with other former Argentinian players had criticised Messi over the years. Even before the start of the tournament, Maradona took a jibe at Messi on the eve of the first game saying that Messi lacked the personality of a leader. With continuous pressure to perform for his national team amid scathing criticism from the fans, the decision of Messi shouldn’t have come as a surprise. For most of the last decade, Messi has shouldered the burden of expectation from Argentinian fans craving a first major tournament silverware since 1993. The flipside was that Messi was made the scapegoat every time the team disappointed with their performance. Though the majority of Argentinian fans remain squarely in Messi’s corner, his critics invariably contrast his success with Barcelona with his inability to lead Argentina to international glory. Messi had shown signs of growing increasingly weary of the criticism following Argentina’s defeat in the 2015 Copa America final, irritated by the suggestion that he was anything other than committed to the national team. Both Messi and his family had criticised the attitude of his critics in strong words. Proof of Messi’s commitment to playing for Argentina, if it was needed, can be seen in his gruelling schedule over the past three years. He has played a major tournament during his off-season every summer since 2014. This year, he played in the final of Spain’s Copa Del Rey on May 22, and five days later was turning out for Argentina in what some term as a meaningless friendly against Honduras in the Argentinian town of San Juan. Messi’s bombshell decision comes after gruelling last few seasons. Marred by injuries as well as the investigations into an alleged tax fraud, last few years have not been easy for the Barcelona talisman. 29 is considered the peak age in the career of a footballer and by every angle, Messi has still three to four years of international football left in him. But considering the circumstances, the decision of the Maestro should be respected. It is high time the Argentina Football Association took steps to defend its players against undue criticism. The domino effect started by Messi’s retirement could lead to some of other high profile retirements that could prove to be a disaster for the country. Lionel Messi will be missed…even by those who watch football just to watch Messi run like the wind, like a wizard, like magic, to score a magnificent goal. And only like Messi.*