Knocked out of the Libertadores, Di María leaves doubt over his future

Rosario Central are out of the Copa Libertadores. After a 0-0 draw in the first leg, the Argentine club lost 1-0 on the road to Corinthians and exit the competition at the round of 16 stage.

The elimination is all the more frustrating given that the Brazilians played much of the second half with ten men, after Raniele was sent off. Despite this numerical advantage, Rosario Central failed to find a way through. It was ultimately Breno Bidon who scored the goal that sealed qualification, in the 80th minute.

After the match, Ángel Di María made no secret of his frustration. The Argentine forward expressed regret over the chances his team failed to convert and admitted that Rosario Central had not managed to impose the style of play he wanted. It was a particularly heavy disappointment for the 38-year-old, who had made this continental campaign one of the main goals of his return to his home country.

The Di María question

But it is above all his reaction regarding the rest of his career that raises questions. Asked about it after the elimination, Di María left the door open to doubt:

Now, we'll have to think about it and see what I feel like doing.

The Argentine has not officially announced his retirement. However, his comments clearly open the door to that possibility. At 38, Di María has just gone through a particularly difficult evening with Rosario Central and must now think about what lies ahead in his career.

The situation is all the more intriguing given that the player recently extended his contract with Rosario Central until mid-2027. That extension seemed at the time to confirm his desire to continue the adventure with the club where he came through as a youth player.

But the Libertadores elimination has changed the context. Di María now admits he needs time to think, without announcing any decision.

The 2022 world champion has therefore not yet closed the door. But for the first time since his return to Rosario Central, the question of what comes next in his career is clearly on the table.

At this stage, only one certainty remains: Ángel Di María has not announced his retirement, but he no longer guarantees either that he will see out his career until the end of his contract.