In the end, Lionel Messi’s final act as an international footballer was to miss a penalty in Argentina‘s Copa America Centenario final defeat against Chile.
La Albiceleste suffered their fourth continental final loss in five years last night in New Jersey.
Chile won the match on penalties after Messi blazed his over the bar.
It’s a sad end to international football for one of the game’s greatest ever.
But he’s not alone.
SunSport looks back at ten other who suffered the unhappiest of international endings.
Garrincha
Pele’s footballing hero was Brazil’s star in their 1958 and 1962 World Cup successes.
However, his farewell to international football was from fond.
Garrincha scored in the 2-0 win over Bulgaria before the Samba stars’ surprise defeat against Hungary.
Showing a lack of fitness, he was left out of the side which left out of final match against Portugal.
Brazil lost 3-1 and exited at the group stage.
Sir Bobby Charlton
Star of England’s 1966 World Cup-winning squad, but it was a different story four years later.
With his side 2-1 up against West Germany in the 1970 quarter-final, Sir Alf Ramsey replaced the ageing Charlton with Colin Bell to rest him for the semi-final.
However, Uwe Seeler equalised to take the game to Extra-Time and Gerd Muller clinched it for the Germans.
Charlton retired with temporary appearance (106) and goals (49) records for England.
Bobby Moore
The international career of England’s 1966 captain lasted a little longer than Charlton’s — but barely.
Moore was at fault for both Poland goals in a 2-0 defeat in Warsaw during qualifying for the 1974 World.
He was dropped for the clash at Wembley which ended a 1-1 draw and elimination.
Moore made just one more appearance — a friendly defeat against Italy.
He overtook Charlton’s appearance record, ending on 108 caps.
Gary Lineker
Another England legend who didn’t get the send-off he deserved.
Lineker was on off breaking Charlton’s goal record when he missed a penalty on the eve of Euro 92.
England faced Sweden in their final group game before elimination and the Tottenham striker was visibly upset at being replaced by Alan Smith and denied the chance to net his 49th goal, as threw away his captain's armband.
Diego Maradona
The superstar who left Argentina to World Cup success in 1986 and final defeat in 1990 endured an undignified end four years later.
Maradona celebrated wildly in front of the camera after scoring against Greece — leading to speculation he may be on drugs.
He was subsequently sent home after a failed doping test.
Franco Baresi
The legendary Italian central defender was only a squad player when his national side won the World Cup in 1982.
And, after semi-final heartbreak eight years later, he went one better in 1994.
But he and Roberto Baggio missed a penalty apiece as Brazil won the final after a shootout.
Baresi did actually play a Euro 96 qualifier against Slovenia before handing calling time on his international career.
Gabriel Batistuta
The legendary centre forward scored hat-tricks at the 1994 and 1998 World Cup.
But it was in 2002 when Batistuta seemed most likely to win his maiden crown.
Argentina arrived in Japan and South Korea as tournament favourites.
However, drawn alongside England, Sweden and Nigeria, they were eliminated at the group stage.
Paolo Maldini
Despite a career spanning 24 years, the AC Milan legend was never part of an Italian World Cup-winning squad.
Maldini finished third in 1990 and a runner up four years later.
He had announced prior to the 2002 World Cup, he would quit international football when his side’s tournament came to an end.
And it did, when he was outjumped by Ahn Jung-Hwan for South Korea's Golden Goal.
Zinedine Zidane
The most infamous of international farewells.
At the age of 34, Zidane was instrumental as France made a surprise surge to the World Cup final.
The Real Madrid star scored as a 1-1 draw after 90 saw the game enter Extra-Time.
But an astonishing exchange with Marco Materazzi saw Zidane headbutt the Italian defender in the chest.
The Frenchman was sent off and his final act on a pitch was a glance back at the World Cup trophy as he made his way down the tunnel.
Raul
A legendary player in a famously unreliable Spanish side.
The Real Madrid ace was the star man of a Roja side which constantly flattered to deceive.
He never won a major trophy at international level and was never again selected following Spain’s 3-2 defeat to Northern Ireland.
Despite not having retired, boss Luis Aragones elected not to pick Raul for his Euro 2008 squad which ended their 44-year wait for a trophy and started their period of unprecedented dominance.
Leave a comment