Rosario Central slipped to a 2-1 defeat against Belgrano in their Clausura opener, and afterwards Angel Di Maria turned his attention to the future of the “Tango” national side following their run to the 2026 World Cup final.

Speaking to Argentine newspaper “tyc sports“, Di Maria said he wants both coach Lionel Scaloni and Lionel Messi to carry on with the national team. For him, the tournament reached its peak with the 2-1 semi-final win over England.

Di Maria said: “The win over England was a great joy for all of Argentina, and this was clear and made me very happy. I am grateful to everyone in the Tango squad forever.”

Reflecting on the campaign, he added: “I suffered in every match, but the players found the strength within themselves and it led them to victories. Sometimes you win finals and sometimes luck is not on your side, but they raised the name of the national team high.”

Applause alone, he argued, did not do the achievement justice. “What they achieved and the win over England was the crowning of their careers. For me the World Cup ended here, for they gave the country an indescribable joy.”

He wants Messi to stay in the fold for as long as the forward chooses, saying: “I think he has many years of playing and success ahead of him. At the age of thirty-nine he has proven he is still one of the best players in history, and there are no limits to his abilities.”

On the coach, he finished: “He is from the Scaloni family (one of the country’s distinguished families), I hope he continues for everyone’s benefit, as there is a good generation of young players seeking glory. He will know what he wants, but I hope he stays.”