Angel Di Maria has declared that his World Cup “ended” the moment Argentina beat England in the semi finals, regardless of how the final itself played out.
The 2022 World Cup winner, who retired from international football before the 2026 tournament, made the comments to TNT Sports after Rosario Central’s 2-1 defeat to Belgrano in their Clausura opener. Di Maria was critical of his side’s sluggish start but felt they had done enough in the second half to avoid defeat.
His main focus, however, was on Argentina’s World Cup campaign. “For me, the World Cup ended when Argentina won against England. We gave the biggest joy to the country,” he said, pointing to the historic semi final win as the tournament’s defining moment for the nation.
Di Maria also gave his backing to Lionel Messi continuing at international level, insisting age is no barrier for the 39 year old. “Yes, Leo should continue for as long as he wants. I think he can keep going for many more years. At 39 years old, he’s proven he’s one of the best and still the best in history, with no ceiling,” he said.
He was equally supportive of Lionel Scaloni remaining in charge of the national team. “As for Scaloni, he’s the leader of the Scaloneta and his national team and I hope he continues. I think it’s in everyone’s best interest, as he’s currently building an excellent generation of young new players and all of this adds to the national team. The decision is his and he knows what he wants but as an Argentine, I hope he continues,” he added.
Di Maria’s comments come amid mild controversy after Rosario Central posted an institutional message that omitted images of both Messi and Scaloni, making his own public show of support for the pair stand out further.
