Argentine President Mauricio Macri has asked Lionel Messi not to quit the national team AFP/Nicholas Kamm |
"He called him and told him how proud he feels of the national team's performance and asked him not to listen to the criticism," urging him not to quit, the spokesman told AFP by telephone.
The appeal follows news that Argentine football legend Diego Maradona on Monday also urged Lionel Messi not to follow through on his vow to quit the national team after its defeat in the Copa America Centenario.
"Messi has to stay in the national team... He will go to Russia in form to be world champion" at the 2018 World Cup, Maradona was quoted as saying by La Nacion newspaper online.
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