NEW DELHI: Lionel Messi’s final game for Argentina turned into an emotional farewell in Buenos Aires, with his wife Antonela Roccuzzo sharing a heartfelt message for the football superstar after his international career came to an end.Messi scored a penalty and set up Argentina’s other two goals as they beat Benin 3-0 on Tuesday. Soon after the match, Roccuzzo took to Instagram to celebrate the love Messi received from the Argentine fans.“There are nights that explain a whole life. And last night was one of those. How beautiful it was to see you surrounded by so much love, so many people thanking you and giving back everything you gave them for so many years. You earned that love. You built it with your personality, your humility, your commitment, and the heart you always gave for this jersey,” Messi’s wife Antonela wrote.“What a privilege to have walked this path by your side and what a thrill to see you close such a huge chapter of your life in this way. Thank you for teaching us so much! We love you! @leomessi. Always with you,” she said.
Messi’s 21-year Argentina journey ends
The 39-year-old brought the curtain down on a 21-year international career with 126 goals and 208 appearances for Argentina.His list of major honours includes two Copa América titles and the 2022 World Cup.What was officially a friendly against Benin became a huge farewell event, with more than 85,000 supporters turning up at Buenos Aires’ biggest stadium.The Argentine Football Federation promoted the match as “the last tango”. Former World Cup winners from Argentina’s 1978, 1986 and 2022 teams were also present to witness Messi’s final appearance.As the match ended, Messi was visibly emotional while his teammates surrounded him. The stadium erupted into chants of “Olé, olé, olé, olé, Messi, Messi”, while a banner at midfield called him the “Eternal Captain.”“The truth is, I’m talking more than I ever have. I don’t want to leave here, I don’t want to leave this field,” Messi told the crowd, which roared as if he had scored. “I just want to tell you that I love you, I’m going to miss you, and I’m grateful to God to be Argentine.”
From criticism to becoming Argentina’s hero
Messi’s journey with Argentina was not always filled with praise.For years, some supporters questioned his commitment to the national team because he moved from Rosario to Spain at 13 and developed as a footballer at Barcelona.His calm personality was also compared with the more outspoken character of Diego Maradona, who led Argentina to the 1986 World Cup title.After Argentina suffered another major final defeat in 2016, Messi briefly stepped away from international football.His relationship with the fans changed significantly in 2021 when Argentina defeated Brazil to win the Copa América. Messi’s emotional reaction after the triumph became one of the defining moments of his international career.“Winning clearly disarmed his critics. That’s how soccer works in Argentina,” said Diego Murzi, a sports sociologist at Conicet, Argentina’s national scientific research council. “Criticism of things off the field goes hand in hand with defeats on it.”The following year, Messi finally lifted the World Cup in Qatar. The victory ended Argentina’s long wait and cemented his place among the country’s greatest sporting heroes.“I’ll never forget it. I’d never experienced anything like that, being out there with everyone, celebrating together,” said Antonia Correa, 70, a kiosk owner, recalling that day as she waited for a bus in Buenos Aires on Tuesday. “We saw that he wasn’t just an extraordinary player, but an excellent human being.”
‘A love story’ with Argentina
By the end of his international career, the relationship between Messi and Argentina had transformed completely.“I don’t know if there has ever been a love story between a player and a nation as great as the one you built,” his teammate Rodrigo De Paul wrote on Instagram.For many Argentines, Messi became much more than a footballer. His biggest victories gave the country moments of happiness during years of political and economic difficulties.“Argentines often say, Thank God I was born at a time when I could experience the miracle of watching Messi play,’” said Andrés Rabinovich, a University of Chicago scholar who has researched soccer’s role in Argentine culture. “It’s hard living in Argentina. Soccer is often one of the few things that offers you some respite, some joy.”Messi will now continue his club career with Inter Miami.