After Lionel Messi's retirement, Gerardo Martino steps down as Argentine coach

New Delhi: Days after Lionel Messi announced his decision to retire from international football, Gerardo Martino too stepped down as the coach of the Argentine football team.

According to a report in Mirror.co.uk, Martino has announced his decision in the wake of his team's loss against Chile in Copa America final recently.

The move has come as another huge blow for the Argentine Football Association (AFA), who are yet to recover from the shock of Messi's exit.

Earlier, while there were questions about Martino's future, the AFA assured he will guide the Under-23 team in their quest for another gold medal.

"Gerardo Martino and his coaching staff will return to work next Monday [July 4], in command of the Under-23 national team that will go to Rio 2016," a tweet from the Argentina national team's official account announced.