Well, that didn't last long. Lionel Messi is no longer retired from the Argentinian international soccer team.
Messi, Argentina's all-time leading scorer, plans to return to Argentina's team for the World Cup qualifiers in September, according to ESPN.
"There are many things that need to be fixed in Argentine football," Messi said in a statement Friday. "But I prefer to help from inside rather than stand on the outside and criticise. A lot of things ran through my head on the day of the [Copa America] final.
"And I seriously considered leaving the team. But I love my shirt and my country too much. I want to thank all the fans who wanted me to keep playing for Argentina. I hope we can give them joy very soon."
Messi said he was retiring from the team in June, after Argentina suffered a crushing defeat on penalty kicks against Chile in the Copa America final.
"My thinking right now and thinking about it in the locker room, I'm done playing with the national team," he told reporters after the game. "I tried my hardest. It's been four finals, and I was not able to win. I tried everything possible. It hurts me more than anyone, but it is evident that this is not for me. I want more than anyone to win a title with the national team, but unfortunately, it did not happen."
Messi had spoken out against the AFA, Argentina's governing soccer body, leading up to the Copa America. He called the AFA a "disaster," as the team had apparently experienced delayed flights and poor training.
It's safe to assume Messi was caught up in the emotions of the moment, because after he reflected on the decision for seven weeks, he's had a change of heart.
"I see that there are a lot of problems in Argentina football and I don't want to create more," Messi said. "I don't want to cause harm, on the contrary, my goal was to help in any way I could."
While some are criticizing Messi for "retiring" in the heat of the moment, would you really want to watch a World Cup without the best or second best (depending on who you ask) player in the world? This is good news for soccer fans.
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