'My daughter will be very proud': Messi's teammates pay heartfelt tribute
Lionel Messi’s Argentina teammates have paid emotional tribute after the legendary captain announced his international retirement. Emi Martinez, Angel Di Maria, Lisandro, Lautaro Martinez and Leandro Paredes praised his leadership, friendship, humility and impact on their careers. Messi leaves as Argentina’s most-capped player and leading scorer, having won two Copa America titles and the 2022…
Former England captain Sir David Beckham praised Lionel Messi for inspiring millions of children and leaving a lasting legacy with Argentina's international career. Beckham, a co-owner of Messi's club Inter Miami, highlighted the 39-year-old's 125 goals in 207 appearances for the national team and their World Cup victory in Qatar 2022. He also spoke of Argentina's runner-up finish in 2026 and their two Copa America titles in 2021 and 2024.
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho echoed the sentiment, lamenting the absence of Messi in future Copa America and World Cup tournaments. Former team-mates Angel di Maria and Cristian Romero, both part of Argentina's 2022 World Cup-winning squad, described Messi as "the greatest of all time" and shared their pride in playing alongside him.
Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez revealed a childhood dream of playing with Messi, expressing gratitude for the shared training camps, dressing room moments, and ultimately, their joint World Cup triumph. FIFA president Gianni Infantino congratulated Messi on an extraordinary career that inspired millions and united fans worldwide. Argentinian Formula One driver Franco Colapinto expressed deep gratitude for Messi's resilience and dedication to making his country proud.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
Also reported by 2 other outlets
- Beckham and Mourinho pay tribute to Messi sports.yahoo.com
- Beckham and Mourinho pay tribute to Messi bbc.co.uk
