AS Newspaper: Di Maria Will Not Participate in the World Cup Qualifier Against Chile This Month; AFA to Hold a Farewell Ceremony for Him

On August 18, according to foreign media AS Newspaper, Di Maria, who announced his retirement from the national team during the Copa America, will not participate in Argentina’s World Cup qualifier against Chile in September. At that time, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) will hold a farewell ceremony for him.

Di Maria had already made his decision clear before the Copa America, stating that his career with the national team would end after the tournament. According to Argentine media, although Di Maria recently suffered an injury during training with Benfica, while he is still awaiting the results of his injury assessment, he has confirmed that he will not participate in the South American World Cup qualifier against Chile at the Monumental Stadium in September.

After wearing the Argentina jersey for 16 years, Di Maria has become a part of Argentina’s national team history. According to journalist Gastón Edul, the dream of having Di Maria play one last game in front of the home fans in Buenos Aires, as suggested by his wife, has been shattered.

His wife stated: “Having him play for a few minutes in the match against Chile was a good idea; it’s what he deserves, and the fans also want to see this happen. I liked this idea, and so did he.”

It is understood that despite Di Maria’s inability to play for Argentina again, there will be a tribute to honor him. To thank Di Maria for his contributions to the national team, the AFA is preparing a farewell ceremony for him.

Di Maria has made a total of 145 appearances for the Argentina national team, scoring 31 goals. It was his performances in crucial moments that made him an idol in the hearts of many. In the five finals he participated in (2008 Olympics, 2022 Copa America, 2022 FIFA World Cup, and 2024 Copa America final), he scored in four of them, failing to score only in the last match against Colombia.