BUENOS AIRES: Arge­n­tina forward Angel Di Maria will retire from international football following next year’s Copa America, the 35-year-old said on Thursday after representing his country for 15 years.

Di Maria has made 136 appearances for world cham­pions Argen­tina since his debut in 2008, playing in four World Cups and scoring in the 2022 final win over France.

He will take part in his sixth Copa America at the June 20-July 14 tournament in the United States, where Argentina will bid to succe­ssfully defend their continental title.

“The Copa America will be the last time I wear the Argentina shirt,” Di Maria wrote on his Instagram account.

“With all the pain in my soul and feeling a lump in my throat, I say goodbye to the most beautiful thing that happened to me in my career.

“I can’t express in words how much the cheering of the fans has filled my soul in this last match, I enjoyed every second of with my team mates and friends,” he added, referring to his last World Cup qual­ifier in which Argentina beat Brazil.

Di Maria rejoined Portuguese champions Benfica this year, the club he played for between 2007 and 2010 when he first arrived in Europe. The winger also played for Real Madrid, Paris St Germain, Juve­ntus and Man­chester United.

Published in Dawn, November 25th, 2023