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From president Mauricio Macri to social media, Argentina wants Lionel Messi to reconsider retirement

Lionel Messi retired from international football following the loss to Chile in the Copa America final for the consecutive year.

Lionel Messi, Messi, Messi 10, Lionel Messi Argentina, Argentina Messi, Messi Retirement, Retirement Lionel Messi, Lionel Messi Argentina, messi retires, Messi Maradona, Maradona Messi, Football Lionel Messi has often faced criticism in Argentina as he has failed to deliver the country a major title. (Source: AP)

The president of Argentina said Tuesday he hopes to meet Lionel Messi next week and convince him to return to the national team.

President Mauricio Macri said he had spoken by telephone with Messi, who announced his shock retirement from the Argentine national team following the loss Sunday to Chile on penalty kicks in the Copa America final in the United States.

Messi returned Monday to Argentina, but has not spoken publicly.

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Macri said he told Messi to “ignore some of the nonsense because, truth be told, we are all very happy” with how the Barcelona star has played for Argentina.

WATCH: Messi Quits, Cries: So What?

Festive offer

Messi, who moved to Barcelona at age 13, has often faced tough criticism in Argentina because he has failed to deliver the country a major title in contrast to his repeated success at Barcelona.

He is often compared unfavorably to Maradona, who led Argentina to the 1986 World Cup title.

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Macri said he didn’t understand the criticism of Messi.

“The truth is that it’s good fortune, a joy, a gift from God to have the best player in the world in a country like ours that is so football-crazy,” said Macri, a former president of Argentine club Boca Juniors.

Macri’s lobbying could be helped by a gathering planned Saturday at the obelisk in central Buenos Aires, the city’s most famous landmark.

READ: Diego Maradona urges Lionel Messi to rethink about retiring

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Support for Messi has been overwhelming on social media with sports figures, artists and politicians urging him to return. Billboards and signs across the city are also asking him to stay.

In the midst of the turmoil, the Buenos Aires city hall unveiled a statue of Messi with a football at his foot alongside other national sports stars.

In another show of support, some members of Argentina’s 1986 World Cup team posed for a photograph that contained a written plea: “Don’t Go Lio.”

Maradona, the biggest star on that team, was not in the photo.

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READ: Fans, president, Diego Maradona want Lionel Messi to reconsider international retirement

TV commentators have speculated that Messi spoke out in frustration after Sunday’s 4-2 loss on penalties to Chile following a scoreless draw.

“The national team is over for me,” Messi told Argentine network TyC Sports.”It’s been four finals, it’s not meant for me. I tried. It was the thing I wanted the most, but I couldn’t get it, so I think it’s over.”

It didn’t help that Messi himself lifted Argentina’s first penalty kick over the crossbar, setting the stage for another final defeat. Messi and Argentina lost to Brazil in the 2007 Copa final and to Germany in extra time in the 2014 World Cup final in Brazil. They lost last year’s Copa final to host Chile on penalty kicks after a 0-0 draw.

First uploaded on: 29-06-2016 at 04:27 IST
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