‘Immortal’—Soccer World Reacts to Lionel Messi’s Emotional Argentina Retirement

By the end of Lionel Messi’s international career, the Argentina men’s national team felt more like a cult to one individual rather than a nation.

The sovereign of Messi disciples had an ever-expanding population of international soccer players. That fervor was openly fueled by manager Lionel Scaloni, who crafted a team of energetic runners to do the heavy lifting while Messi applied a magical finishing touch. Against all odds and the perceived wisdom of the modern game, you could in fact win trophies while having a passenger out of possession. As long as he was Messi.

After the splurge of silverware to end his Argentina career, it can be easy to forget how hard international duty was for Messi for so long. This is the same player who was sent off on his debut and lost five international finals. Messi has already retired from Argentinian duty (twice) after having his patriotism questioned by fans back in South America.

Yet, throughout it all, Messi remains proud of his heritage. Despite leaving the country at 13 and never returning on a permanent basis, Argentina’s all-time leading appearance maker, scorer and assister still retains a strong Rosario accent. He drinks mate and plays Truco.

The almost universal reaction to Messi’s international retirement was one of gratitude: countless social media accounts queued up to thank the great man for his feats in white and blue. Yet, it was Messi who was also dishing out the praise: “Thank you, God, for making me Argentine.”

Messi’s Wife Antonela Roccuzzo Sends Her Own Message

In the absence of his late father, Messi has been forced to lean upon the immediate family members he has left during this testing time. His wife of nine years, Antonela Roccuzzo, had her own message to send after the news broke.

“I’m so proud to have been by your side on this journey and to see you fulfill all your dreams,” she wrote. “You deserved this story and so much more. We love you infinitely.”

Rodrigo De Paul Hails Messi’s ‘Immortality’

Lionel Messi, Rodrigo De Paul — Lionel Messi’s “bodyguard” was among the first to show his affection. | Juan Mabromata/AFP/Getty Images

Inter Miami’s Rodrigo De Paul prowls the pitch with the devotion of a spouse in his protection of Messi. The so-called ‘bodyguard’ showed his tender side with a touching post to acknowledge the news he must have seen coming: “Your unconditional love for our country, the battles you fought within yourself so you would never give up, the strength you showed through every injustice, your leadership, and above all, the humanity you showed to every player who walked into the national team and immediately made them feel at home.

“Your care, your gestures, and the little details you had with every single person in this team... there are no words. Thank you, Leo. You are the greatest in history.

“Thank you for making us so, so happy. You can’t imagine how many smiles you put on our faces. You are immortal. Forever.”

‘Eternal Thanks’ Paid by Argentina Teammates

The rest of Messi’s international teammates weren’t quite so expressive in their appraisal, although the same sentiment was shared. The common thread was clear, Messi may be gone, but he won’t be forgotten.

“Eternal thanks,” Ángel Di María and Nicolas Tagliafico both wrote.

“Thank you for absolutely everything. You are and always will be the greatest of them all. We love you, Captain,” Leandro Paredes added. “I love you, I admire you, and I will always be grateful to you for everything you gave for me and for our country. Eternal thanks, Captain,” Cristian Romero chimed in.

“Today, the player we all admire is saying goodbye to the national team. Thank you so much,” Giuliano Simeone wrote. “My daughter will be very proud that her father shared a team with such an extraordinary human being,” Lisandro Martínez touchingly added.

“Beyond everything you achieved on the pitch, what I’ll remember most is everything you taught us off it,” Lautaro Martínez wrote, “Never to give up, to keep trying after every setback, to work in silence and, above all, to always believe in ourselves.”

Enzo Fernandez Winds the Clock Back 10 Years

Back in 2016, emotionally and physically crushed by consecutive Copa América final defeats to Chile, Messi announced his first international retirement. Argentina collectively pleaded with their captain to come back, including one teenager who penned an emotional open letter begging his idol. That kid would grow up to be Enzo Fernández, who would go on to reach two World Cup finals alongside Messi. A decade on, there was no pleading in his reaction to this retirement.

“Leo, when you said you were leaving the national team back then, I was really sad,” Fernández wrote. “I was just a kid, and I used to calculate the age difference between us to see if I might ever get to play alongside you. It might sound silly, but I really did it: I’d think about how many years you might have left and how long it would take me to reach the first division, dreaming that—even if just for once—we might share the pitch wearing the Argentina jersey.

“Luckily, you came back.

“And life turned out to be far more beautiful than that kid could have ever imagined. I didn’t just get to play with you; we shared training camps, the locker room, conversations, hugs, tough times, and incredible moments, and we ended up becoming world champions together.

“But above all, I will always be grateful for how you treated me from the moment I arrived. I came in hoping to share the field with my idol, but I found a person who made me feel like one of the team right from the start. You always had a kind word, a piece of advice, a hug, or simply a way of putting me at ease when I needed it.

“I’ll never forget that.

“It’s hard for me to imagine the next training camp without you—stepping onto the pitch and not seeing you ahead of me, wearing the number 10. I spent so many years seeing you there that it feels impossible to picture it any other way.

“I was so lucky, Leo.

“That kid who used to do those calculations—never knowing if he’d make it in time—was so lucky.

“Thank you for the way you treated me, for everything you taught me, and for letting me share a part of your story. We’re going to miss you so much, Captain.”

Messi Transcends Argentina Generations

Lionel Messi (left) and Javier Zanetti. — Lionel Messi (left) and Javier Zanetti overlapped for Argentina. | RODRIGO BUENDIA/AFP/Getty Images

The acclaim for Messi did not begin and end with the current crop of the country’s talent. The legendary fullback Javier Zanetti was quick to offer a shower of praise for his compatriot.

“He was a captain in every sense of the word,” the retired international told DSports Radio. “He was one during tough and difficult times; he represented us with that leadership and was proud to wear the captain’s armband.

“I don’t know if he enjoyed this World Cup, given the family situation, which made it very difficult. But he tried to keep going and bring joy to many people, especially his family. I think he succeeded.”

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