Di María hinted at a possible retirement soon after 20 years of top-level football, following Rosario Central’s elimination from the Copa Libertadores Round of 16.

Will Di Maria hang up his boots soon? He at least appeared to hint at it after Rosario Central were eliminated by Corinthians in the Copa Libertadores Round of 16 this Friday.

The first leg between the two teams ended in a draw. In the second leg, a Corinthians player was sent off with 30 minutes remaining, giving Rosario Central brief hope of securing a victory. However, the Argentine side conceded in the 80th minute, dashing their hopes of advancing to the quarterfinals.

"This is a difficult period"

Di Maria told Fox Sports: "We created many scoring opportunities, but this was not the game we wanted to play. We were under a lot of pressure and failed to turn the chances we created into goals. In the first leg, we could have gained an advantage, but that's how football is. They scored against us despite having one fewer player. Sometimes, things don't go our way, and that's what happened today."

The 2022 World Cup winner expressed even greater frustration in an interview with ESPN and began to question his future. He said: “This is a difficult period because my dream was different. I wanted to continue playing, but that’s how football is. Now, I need to think seriously and see what I want to do next.”

In 2024, former PSG player Ángel Di Maria announced the end of his national team career. Since beginning his professional career in the 2006-2007 season, he has won all major honors: Olympic champion in 2008, Champions League champion with Real Madrid in 2014, two Copa América titles in 2021 and 2024, and the World Cup in 2022. Including club and national team honors, he has won a total of 37 trophies.

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