Di Maria reveals retirement thoughts

Argentina attacker Angel Di Maria revealed he was close to announcing his international retirement after the Copa America Centenario final loss.

Lionel Messi quit internationals, a decision he has since reversed, in the wake of the penalty shoot-out loss to Chile in June.

Reports suggested numerous players, including Di Maria, were considering doing likewise.

The Paris Saint-Germain star said he was close to international retirement after a third straight final defeat, following on from the 2014 World Cup and 2015 Copa America.

“When Messi retired, I thought about doing the same,” Di Maria told TyC Sports.

“You can lose a final, but three in a row, that’s something different. I thought about leaving the national team, but my wife and my father stopped me.”

However, Di Maria, 28, warned he would call it quits if Argentina tasted defeat in another final.

“I almost started therapy, but in the end I decided it was something I had to figure out by myself,” he said.

“If I lose another final, that’s it.”

Argentina sit third in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying ahead of matches against Peru and Paraguay.