Javier Mascherano is set to follow Lionel Messi and announce his retirement from international football. The 32-year-old is one of the most capped players in Argentina history and his retirement will be a huge blow to the Argentina national team especially after Lionel Messi’s departure.
Mascherano has been an integral part of the Argentina team which made it to three major finals, but the pain of losing 3 finals in a row seems to have been too much for the Barcelona star. Mascherano served as the captain as well for Argentina from 2008-2011 and he has been one of the defensive rocks for the Albiceleste.
The former Liverpool star has played 130 times for Argentina and his impending retirement from the international football scene will cause huge problems as Argentina would have lost two major players.
Messi and Mascherano were widely expected to win Argentina their first title since 1993 but Chile took them to penalties once again and beat them once again. Three loses in extra time and twice on penalties is a bitter pill to swallow for anyone and it seems to have forced both Mascherano and Messi to retire from international football.
The translation says:
Mascherano will not continue playing for the Argentina team.
The retirement of both Messi and Mascherano might signal the end of an era for Argentine football.
