'No One Else Like Him': Argentinians Bid Emotional Farewell To Lionel Messi

In Buenos Aires, fans gathered around giant murals depicting Messi with the World Cup trophy, while monuments and public spaces across the capital were illuminated in Argentina's blue and white. Football clubs also paid tribute to the forward with banners and songs as supporters came to terms with the end of an era.

Messi announced his decision on August 31 in a handwritten message posted on Instagram. He described the decision as painful but said he believed the time had come to leave the national team after giving everything he could to Argentina.

The announcement came only weeks after Messi led Argentina to the 2026 World Cup final. Argentina lost 1-0 to Spain, denying Messi a second World Cup title and preventing the fairytale ending many supporters had hoped for. Reuters described his departure as the close of a defining chapter in Argentine football.

Despite the disappointment of the 2026 final, Messi leaves the national team with a legacy that reshaped his relationship with Argentine football. For years, he faced criticism and comparisons with Diego Maradona after failing to deliver a World Cup title. That changed after Argentina won the 2021 Copa America and then lifted the World Cup in Qatar in 2022.

Messi also helped Argentina win the Copa America again in 2024. He leaves the national team as its record appearance maker and leading scorer, with 125 goals in 207 appearances, according to Reuters.

His retirement has prompted emotional reactions from former teammates and supporters. Ángel Di María, who played alongside Messi during Argentina's 2022 World Cup campaign, paid tribute to the player, while Rodrigo De Paul described Messi's commitment to Argentina as an enduring part of his legacy.

For many fans, Messi's significance extends beyond his statistics and trophies. His journey from a young player who struggled under the weight of national expectations to the captain who finally delivered the World Cup has made him one of the defining figures in Argentina's sporting history.

The Argentine Football Association is expected to honour Messi with a farewell match, while some supporters have called for the national team's No. 10 shirt to be retired. FIFA regulations, however, prevent Argentina from permanently retiring a squad number while it remains part of the competition system.

Messi's departure also leaves questions about the next phase of Argentina's national team. Coach Lionel Scaloni must now oversee a side that has spent years developing around Messi while preparing a new generation of players to carry the team forward. Reuters reported that midfielder Leandro Paredes has already acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding the team following Messi's retirement.

For Argentinians mourning the end of Messi's international career, however, the immediate focus is less on what comes next than on what he has already given them.

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