Lionel Messi (left, photo credit The Sun UK), the Argentinian striker, considered by most of the soccer world as the best player decided, after losing the final match of the Copa America Centenario, to quit the Argentinian national soccer team.

Messi put an end to his international career with Argentina at the age of 29.

The Argentina captain missed his spot-kick in the decisive shootout at Met Life Stadium, New Jersey, which Chile went on to win 4-2 and secure a second Copa crown in two years, and was disconsolate on the pitch after the game.

“It’s tough, it’s not the time for analysis,” he said. “In the dressing room I thought that this is the end for me with the national team, it’s not for me. That’s the way I feel right now, it’s a huge sadness once again and I missed the penalty that was so important.

“I tried so hard to be [a] champion with Argentina. But it didn’t happen. I couldn’t do it. I think it’s best for everyone, for me and for many people who want it. The choice for me is over, it is a decision. I tried many times [to be a champion] but did not,” Messi said.

Messi had enjoyed an impressive career in Barcelona winning every single tournament possible many times, unfortunately for him, that success hasn’t been transferred to the Argentinian national team where the only thing he knows is anguish after losing four finals – the 2014 World Cup against Germany and at three Copa America, in 2007, 2015 and now 2016.

The Copa America Centenario defeat continued Argentina’s 23-year trophyless run and Messi’s own personal misery.

For sure his decision to quit is clearly surrounded by frustration and in the heat of the moment, and there is a big chance he will think about it and come back, but if that is not the case, Lionel Messi does not deserve to be consider the best ever to play the game. He would be the Roberto “No Mas” Duran of soccer.

Why? Because, the best ever does not quit, abandon a team after a loss, and never stop fighting.

Lionel Messi has won everything worldwide with Barcelona. That´s great and should be applauded for that, he is a superb player and surely he did his part to earn that success, but quitting a team like Argentina, that is always a contender for the World Cup, because you can´t win at 29?

What´s up with that?

Winning the World Cup is not inspirational enough for you to win? Is the bar so low for you?

That is not the stuff of a leader and it is not what a legend is made of. Messi can have all the trophies, but there is no dignity in quitting when you are on your prime.

The only reasonable excuse he can have for abandoning a team is if there is something beyond the field that we don’t know. If that is the case, Messi should denounce it and point the person, or people, responsible for him to quit.

It is understandable how frustrating must be for him to only know losing with Argentina. After all, he only knows winning with Barcelona, but that´s the beauty of sports. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but you never stop trying.

Someone should tell Messi that success is not a one-way street, but a constant journey. When we stop trying, we fail.

Imagine if Muhammad Ali had giving up after losing his first title fight. After every single loss he said, “I would prepare better, so I wouldn’t be surprise again”. Do you think he would win the title two more times if he stopped trying?

David Maraniss in his book “When Pride Still Mattered,” wrote about Earl Blaik, the mentor of the legendary NFL coach Vince Lombardi, who once said that the “purpose of the game is to win. To dilute the will to win is to destroy the purpose of the game.”

Lionel Messi just did that. His decision is the best representation of the latter. He just proved that he does not care about the game, neither winning. He only cares about himself, nothing more. He does not want to be related to any loss because he is afraid of it.

General Douglas MacArthur, an American five-star general and field marshal of the Philippine Army and Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930´s used to say, “there is no substitute for victory,” but he also said “it is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it.”

Messi by quitting Argentina is telling us that he does not have the will to win. He has all the right to quit if he feels is the best course of action for the team itself, but he shouldn’t say he quits because he tried and didn’t succeed. That’s not the stuff of a winner.

Millions worldwide watch him play every weekend; kids from all over the globe want to follow his footsteps. Now with his decision is telling them: If you can´t win, don’t worry, stop trying, go the easier way and quit.

John Elway by the time he was 29 already had lost three Super Bowls. Did he quit? No. He never stop playing and it took him 8 seasons to win his first championship when he was 37, and won again the following year.

Steven Spielberg, by the time he was 21, was rejected by the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts multiple times. Did he quit? No. He went on to create the first summer blockbuster with «Jaws» in 1975, has won three Academy Awards, 4 Emmys, 7 Daytime Emmys, and his 27 movies have grossed more than $9 billion.

Winning is not easy. In any professional sport it is very hard, but the hard is what makes winning great.

Lionel Messi, hopefully, can reconsider and come back to play for Argentina and make his fans happy. If he doesn’t, he will be a great disappointment because it will be clear that he doesn’t care about winning for Argentina, he only cares about winning for himself.