Di Maria Bows Out in Glory as Argentina Wins Copa America

Argentina winger Angel Di Maria hailed Sunday’s 1-0 Copa America triumph over Colombia as the perfect dream ending to his international career. The victory secured a third consecutive major title for the Albiceleste, following their 2021 Copa America and 2022 World Cup triumphs.

The 36-year-old Di Maria had announced his retirement from international duty in November. “I dreamt it, that’s why I said it was the last Copa America and it ended here. I dreamt that I would reach the final, I dreamt that I would win it, that I would retire like this,” Di Maria said.

Argentine coach Lionel Scaloni substituted Di Maria in the final minutes of extra time, allowing him to receive a heartfelt farewell from the fans. “I have so many beautiful feelings. I am eternally grateful to this generation, they gave me everything, they made me achieve what I wanted so much, and today I am leaving in this way, how better than this?” Di Maria added.

Di Maria, part of a generation alongside Lionel Messi, won the Olympics in 2008 but struggled for silverware in subsequent years. The ‘Triple Crown,’ which includes a record 16th Copa America, cements Scaloni’s team’s place among South American football’s greats.

“It seems easy but it is very difficult. I know because I lived on the other side too for ten, 11 years, fighting for it,” said Di Maria. “It’s not easy to reach finals and win them. And now it’s happening. At some point it had to happen, and I would have liked to have been able to win one too with the previous bunch of lads, we deserved it too, but we kept insisting, kept fighting and these guys gave me everything.”

Di Maria, who scored the winning goal in the 2008 Olympic final and the 2021 Copa America final against Brazil, ends his international career on a high note.

(Source: AFP)