Lionel Messi’s Messi retirement decision has triggered an emotional wave of tributes from Argentina’s football officials, teammates and FIFA, as the legendary forward prepares to close his international career.
Argentine Football Association (AFL) president Claudio Tapia made a poignant tribute to the 39-year-old, calling him “the captain of our dreams” and reminiscing about the player fondly known as “La Pulga.”
Tapia said Messi did so time after time, when it seemed impossible, and expressed his admiration of Messi as an inspirer of his generation of supporters. You made us believe in magic, Tapia said. It was very hard to see that even the best players are bound to run out of time, he continued.
Tapia also spoke about Messi’s legacy with the Argentina jersey, noting that it symbolised his own country’s flag and that the passion of the Argentine people for their captain will never end. The tribute was made after FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s message of gratitude to Messi for his enormous contribution to football.
Infans said that “the greatest player in football history and a FIFA World Cup champion” deserved the recognition and had brought “so much joy to millions of football fans.”
Messi’s international career has been a roller coaster of disappointment and great achievement. He made a few close encounters with Argentina in his years but finally raised the Copa America in 2021, culminating his international triumphs with winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup. His departure, in turn, marks the end of a remarkable chapter that has been Argentina’s constant dependence for over ten years: the possession of Messi’s creativity, leadership and goals.
The revelation has also given rise to a broader conversation on the future of Argentina’s national team, and what it will look like when it lacks the iconic figure of its leader. For fans globally, Messi’s retirement from international soccer is the death of a golden era in his career, which saw the Argentinean star enter the records of one of the greatest and most influential players in soccer history.
