(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Jorge Ferrari, a Sharjah-based freelance photographer who follows his national team - Argentina - with an undying passion, had an inkling of things to come when he saw a devastated Lionel Messi after Argentina''s heart-breaking defeat to Chile on penalties in Sunday''s Copa America Centenario final.
"I had a feeling that this was probably his last match in an Argentina shirt. He looked shattered," Ferrari told Khaleej Times after Messi shocked the world with his decision to end his Argentina career at 29! Perhaps, Messi''s missed penalty in the shoot-out which led to Argentina''s surrender hurt him like a dagger piercing his heart. But Ferrari says it''s the constant criticism he faces back home from people who even question his commitment that has always hurt him more than any defeat he has endured on the field. "You can''t go on in life suffering all the time. He doesn''t get any enjoyment out of this. He is not the kind of guy who will show off his patriotism by singing the national anthem. But by making himself available for so many years and by always wanting to play every match, he has shown his passion and commitment. What can you do if you don''t win? Life is not perfect!" Ferrari doesn''t rule out the possibility of Messi''s return, though. "We Argentinians tend to do things with our heart, not with the head! But I am sure he will reconsider his decision. There will definitely be a big push now from everybody in Argentina to get him to play for the team again. But now we need to leave him alone for some time." Sergio Aguero, Messi''s teammate, later revealed that at least five more players, including himself, were contemplating international retirement. "This situation has never happened before because we have always been one of the top teams in the world. So losing three finals in three years was tough for these players. I think they put themselves under lot of pressure to win it," Ferrari said. The man from Cordoba then revealed the mess Argentina Football Association finds themselves in. "Reports in Argentinian media say that the situation at AFA is very bad. Even there are reports that coach Tata Martino hasn''t been paid for seven months. Also the players didn''t get the support they should have got from them at Copa. "You know these are the players who don''t go on holidays after the club season. Messi has even celebrated his last few birthdays in his Argentina team hotel room. So all these things - a disorganised association, the harsh critics back home and the failure to win something big - have been too tough emotionally for them."
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