Is this the real reason Lionel Messi is retiring from international duty?

We appear to be at the end of an era.

In the aftermath of Argentina’s Copa America Centenario final loss to Chile on Sunday – the Albiceleste’s third consecutive summer of losing a major tournament final – Lionel Messi announced his decision to step down from international duty.

[ Copa America: Winners and losers | Messi retires | Chile defends title | Match stats ]

Many cited the heartache of reaching four finals without lifting the trophy, coupled with the demands put upon him by Barcelona. However, it’s quite possible that the Barcelona star has stepped down because the road ahead for the Argentina national team is a very rocky one.

On Saturday, the AFA (Argentine Football Association) was put under the administration of a FIFA committee in reaction to dubious elections, poor management and troubling in-fighting.

Messi has expressed his dissatisfaction with the AFA on several occasions and it’s feasible that the five-time World Player of the Year is jumping ship – along with several dissatisfied teammates – for political, rather than sporting reasons.

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