Gerardo Martino has resigned from his post as coach of the Argentina national team, less than one month before the start of the Olympic Games.
The ex-Barcelona man had pledged to continue at the helm after a second Copa America final defeat to Chile in June.
But the retirement of Lionel Messi, institutional chaos at the Argentine Football Association and serious issues over squad selection ahead of the Olympic Games forced a change of mind, as he revealed his decision during a meeting on Tuesday.
Martino had taken over following the 2014 World Cup, and lost just one competitive match during his time as coach, against Ecuador in a September 2015 World Cup qualifier.
In total the coach won 19 of the 29 games he directed, with seven draws and three defeats.
But the failure to lift silverware on two occasions made the trainer a focus for criticism from many fans and observers, as Argentina’s title drought now stands at 23 years after they fell short in three consecutive finals.
