No fairytale ending, but Messi leaves defining legacy for Argentina

Aug 31 : Lionel Messi brought down the curtain on his extraordinary international career on Monday, announcing his retirement soon after inspiring Argentina to within one victory of a second successive World Cup triumph.At 39, two decades after first appearing on football’s biggest stage, Messi walked away having long since repaired a complicated relationship with his country that once threatened to define his career.The record eight-times Ballon d’Or winner leaves as a World Cup winner and twice Copa America champion, the man who stepped out of Diego Maradona’s immense shadow to create an Argentine legacy entirely his own.Defeat by Spain in this year's World Cup final denied Messi the perfect farewell and the chance to become a world champion for a second time. But after a career that tra