{
  "id": 12816071,
  "title": "Messi pays tribute to Maradona, father after final Argentina game",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/08/messi-pays-tribute-to-maradona-father-after-final-argentina-game-12816071",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-08T07:34:18.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch Nigeria",
    "slug": "punch-nigeria",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/messi-pays-tribute-to-maradona-father-after-final-argentina-game/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Lionel Messi honored Argentina's legendary footballer Diego Maradona and his late father Jorge Messi after his final appearance for the national team. In a heartfelt Instagram post, Messi expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to wear the iconic sky-blue-and-white shirt and emphasized that his international career had been an \"incredible journey.\" He paid tribute to Maradona, crediting him for elevating Argentine football to new heights and believing Maradona supported the team both in life and from the afterlife. Messi also shared a deeply personal tribute to his father, who passed away in 2026 after battling illness. The 39-year-old captain scored the only goal and provided two assists in Argentina's 3-0 victory over Benin, marking his 208th appearance for the national team and concluding a 21-year career as the country's most-capped player and top scorer.",
  "summary": "Lionel Messi paid tribute to Diego Maradona and his late father following his final game for Argentina, a 3-0 victory over Benin where he scored a penalty. Read More: https://punchng.com/messi-pays-tribute-to-maradona-father-after-final-argentina-game/",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Buenos Aires Times",
        "title": "Maradona death trial enters final stages as negligence questions remain",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/maradona-death-trial-enters-final-stages-as-negligence-questions",
        "published": "2026-10-07T16:50:57.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Punch",
        "title": "Messi pays tribute to Maradona, father after final Argentina game",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/08/messi-pays-tribute-to-maradona-father-after-final-argentina-game",
        "published": "2026-10-08T07:24:18.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}