Analyse
In a June 2017 interview with Argentine broadcaster TyC Sports, Messi was asked about his reaction to the 2016 Copa América final loss. He explicitly said he did not think about retiring, but rather needed to process the emotional pain of the defeat. Multiple media outlets reported the same quote, and the interview footage is publicly available.
Achtergrond
Argentina lost the 2016 Copa América final to Chile on penalties, leading many to speculate about Messi's future with the national team. The loss sparked widespread discussion about his potential retirement, but Messi continued playing for both Barcelona and Argentina thereafter. The 2017 TyC Sports interview was conducted shortly before the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.
Samenvatting verdict
Messi confirmed in a 2017 TyC Sports interview that he never considered retiring after the 2016 Copa América final, only needed time to process the pain.