🩵🤍 Full statement by Lionel Messi: “I wrote these words on July 21, two days after the final… today, after what happened with my dad, I’m even more convinced of this decision than before”.
“After all this time since the final, and after thinking about it a lot, I want to tell everyone that I’m retiring from the national team.
"It was a decision that hurt and still hurts deep inside, but I understand that this is the right moment.
"I swear I always gave everything, not only in these last few years when we won everything, but before that too. I always fought and gave everything for this shirt, to bring you happiness and make you feel proud to be Argentine through football.
"There isn’t much time left, and different chapters are coming to an end. This is one that hurts me a lot. I love, I loved, and I will always love being part of the national team. I gave everything I had, and I don’t have anything more to give.
"Also, there are great young players coming through who deserve to be here.
"Thank you for all the love during these 20 years. I’m going to miss hearing you from the inside. Now I’ll be one of you, always supporting from the outside, in the good times and even more in the bad ones.
"Thank you to my family for always being there and for being with me throughout this beautiful but difficult journey. Thank you to every coach, teammate and director I had the chance to share it with. I take with me unforgettable memories and moments.
"I leave with peace and pride, knowing that together with my teammates we gave you moments we once dreamed of. It was crazy to experience all of this with you. I love you!
"Thank you God for making me Argentine.
"Vamos Argentina!
This Kevin De Bruyne punditry chat from 2015 didn't age well 👀:
🗣️ Phil Thompson: "De Bruyne? Goodness me, Jeff. The world is going mad, isn't it? You look at the amount of money they are paying for this boy is just absolutely bonkers."
🗣️ Jeff Stelling: "Chelsea paid £6.7m, Wolfsburg paid £18m in January of last year, now we are talking about £50m"
🗣️ Jeff Stelling: "Merse, was Jose Mourinho wrong to let him go?"
🗣️ Paul Merson: "I didn't think so. I don't think he done it at Chelsea. He didn't look part of the Chelsea way at the time, and I think it was right to let him go.
There are players you see, and you think, 'Yeah', but I just don't see £50m for this player... I thought it was Lira."
(via Sky Sports)
RODRI IS GONE.
HE DIDN'T WANT TO STAY, THAT'S WHY HE NEVER SIGNED THE NEW DEAL.
Erase him from your hearts. From your minds.
He chose a club that tainted his name over the one that treated him like a king through the bad times and the good. It's time to build this team without him.
Pull every muscle, Viana. You too, @ferransoriano. We move forward.