Argentina forward Lionel Messi has revealed how pained he feels after his team’s Copa America penalty shoot-out defeat by Chile on Saturday.
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The Barcelona star posted a statement on his Facebook account after losing another major final and facing fierce criticism in his native Argentina.
Messi and the other Argentine stars were slammed by the country’s media for their performance and members of his family were also abused by Chilean fans at the match, according to reports in the Argentine media.
“There’s nothing more painful in football than losing a final,” he said.
“But I don’t want to leave it any longer to say thank you to everyone who has always supported us and continued to during the tough moments.”
“There’s nothing more painful in football than losing a final,” he said.
“But I don’t want to leave it any longer to say thank you to everyone who has always supported us and continued to during the tough moments.”
Messi has now lost one World Cup and two Copa America finals and is still to win a major international event with his country despite his considerablesuccess with Barcelona.
Argentina, beaten 1-0 by Germany in last year’s World Cup final, have now not won a major title for 22 years – the 1993 Copa America.
Messi left the pitch ashen faced after the latest defeat and unconfirmed Spanish media reports claim he turned down the player of the tournament award with the trophy withdrawn before the presentation ceremony in Santiago.
