Mike Tyson Pays Tribute to Argentina, Maradona & Messi After World Cup Win Over Algeria

Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson has dug into his archives to pay tribute to Lionel Messi's latest masterclass performance in his first game at the FIFA World Cup.

Messi, Argentina's captain and arguably the best football player of all-time, proved why he has both of those titles against Algeria in the first game of his record sixth World Cup. The Argentine scored three goals to carry his team to an easy victory over a usually tricky Algeria side and give them the best start they could have hoped for in trying to defend their World Cup title.

Tyson, shortly after the end of the game, posted a show of support to Messi and his team - a photo of him from 2005 wearing an Argentina shirt with the No. 10, Messi's number, on it. The shirt Tyson is wearing is signed by none other than another Argentine soccer legend, Diego Maradona, who gifted the former heavyweight champion his No. 10 shirt that year.

Tyson pays tribute to Maradona and Messi

Maradona and Tyson shared a friendship from the first time they met in 2005 during a TV appearance until the soccer legend's death in 2020. And the story behind the original photograph is that Tyson wore the shirt gifted to him to a court hearing in Brazil for allegedly assaulting a Brazilian cameraman.

Tyson shared a deep connection with Maradona as two young superstars who were often compared to each other, and he described him as his 'soul brother'.

"We were soul brothers," Tyson described in an interview with El Planteo. "We just loved each other from the first time we ever met

Boxing's youngest heavyweight champion ever also paid tribute to Maradona after his death and said: "The Hand of God, Maradona has left us. In 86 we both won our championships. They use to compare the two of us

"He was one of my heroes and a friend. I respected him so much. He will be greatly missed."

The Hand of God, Maradona has left us. In 86 we both won our championships. They use to compare the two of us. He was one of my hero’s and a friend. I respected him so much. He will be greatly missed. pic.twitter.com/E5j6DSfJas
— Mike Tyson (@MikeTyson) November 25, 2020

It is therefore no surprise that Tyson's close relationship with the late World Cup winner has led him to feel some allegiance to Messi and the defending World Cup champions as they continue throughout the tournament.

Mike Tyson's next fight

Tyson is next set to step into the ring against another boxing legend in Floyd Mayweather. The exhibition bout has seen a number of postponements thus far, with the latest due to a hand injury Tyson picked up while training.

Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul | IMAGO / Inpho Photography

The fight is currently scheduled to take place in the fall of 2026.

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