{"id":1865,"date":"2026-09-02T08:37:24","date_gmt":"2026-09-02T08:37:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/2026\/09\/02\/argentina-bids-farewell-to-lionel-messi\/"},"modified":"2026-09-02T08:37:24","modified_gmt":"2026-09-02T08:37:24","slug":"argentina-bids-farewell-to-lionel-messi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/2026\/09\/02\/argentina-bids-farewell-to-lionel-messi\/","title":{"rendered":"Argentina bids farewell to Lionel Messi as fans flood streets with tributes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<!-- Quick Adsense WordPress Plugin: http:\/\/quickadsense.com\/ -->\n<div class=\"9fece8afa224fd09e54b043d0febfb58\" data-index=\"1\" style=\"float: none; margin:10px 0 10px 0; text-align:center;\">\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- NR ATF -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-8898941184964366\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"4839033563\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\r\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script>\n<\/div>\n<p>Buenos Aires turned into a living mural of gratitude on Monday as neighborhoods, clubs and ordinary citizens gathered to salute Lionel Messi, the Argentine forward who confirmed his exit from the national side. In the iconic La Boca district, home to the Boca Juniors stadium, residents took turns posing before massive paintings that show Messi clutching the 2022 World Cup trophy. The city\u2019s most recognizable landmarks were bathed in the nation\u2019s blue and white palette, a visual homage to the player who has become a modern\u2011day symbol of Argentine pride.<\/p>\n<h2>Messi\u2019s personal announcement<\/h2>\n<p>The retirement news arrived through a handwritten note posted on Instagram, a message the player said he drafted two days after Argentina\u2019s defeat to Spain in the recent World Cup final. In the caption, Messi explained that he felt he had \u201cnothing else to give\u201d and described the decision as painful, adding that he understood the moment had arrived. The 39\u2011year\u2011old, who recently mourned the loss of his father Jorge \u2014 a figure Messi credited with shaping his career \u2014 confirmed that his international chapter was closing.<\/p>\n<p>While the timing did not shock observers, given his age and personal circumstances, the reaction among supporters was one of profound sadness. \u201cWe will keep loving Messi not only for his skill but for his humility and who he is,\u201d said fan Sebastian Luna to Al\u202fJazeera. \u201cFootball is over, but Messi will always stay in our hearts.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Calls for lasting honors<\/h2>\n<p>In the wake of the announcement, some supporters urged the Argentine Football Association (AFA) to retire Messi\u2019s iconic number\u202f10 jersey. However, FIFA regulations prevent the permanent retirement of squad numbers, a rule the federation has already tested without success.<\/p>\n<p>Messi\u2019s career with La Albiceleste spanned six World Cup tournaments, a period marked early on by criticism for not delivering a global title. Comparisons with Diego Maradona, another Argentine legend who lifted the World Cup in 1986, were frequent and often unfavorable. The narrative shifted dramatically after Argentina\u2019s triumph in Qatar, where Messi\u2019s performance helped secure the nation\u2019s third World Cup and elevated him to a unifying figure across political and social lines.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI have seen Maradona, I have seen many greats like Kempes, but Messi is exceptional,\u201d said local fan Carlos Sciata. He described the retirement as \u201ca bucket of cold water,\u201d noting that the recent death of Messi\u2019s father made the news less surprising, yet the loss would still be deeply felt.<\/p>\n<h2>Record\u2011breaking legacy<\/h2>\n<p>Messi\u2019s statistics cement his status as Argentina\u2019s most prolific player. With 125 goals in 207 appearances, he holds the national records for both caps and scoring. The eight\u2011time Ballon d\u2019Or winner, who previously starred for Barcelona and Paris Saint\u2011Germain before joining Inter Miami in Major League Soccer, transformed a fraught relationship with the national team into a story of redemption and glory.<\/p>\n<p>Teammates have voiced their admiration publicly. Angel Di\u202fMaria, who shared the 2022 World Cup victory, described it as \u201cso hard\u201d to imagine the team without Messi\u2019s presence on the sky\u2011blue shirt. Rodrigo De\u202fPaul, Messi\u2019s fellow Inter Miami player and Argentine international, thanked him for his \u201cunconditional love\u201d for the country, calling him \u201ceternal\u201d and expressing gratitude for the joy he brought to fans.<\/p>\n<p>Argentina\u2019s recent 1\u20110 loss to Spain in the final underscores the void Messi\u2019s departure creates. Analysts and supporters alike are now speculating about the future direction of head coach Lionel Scaloni and the squad he assembled around the star forward. Off the pitch, the AFA is contending with investigations into alleged corruption and financial misconduct, adding another layer of uncertainty to the nation\u2019s football landscape.<\/p>\n<p>Despite these challenges, the prevailing sentiment across the country today is one of celebration and farewell. Streets echo with chants, banners display the image of Messi holding the coveted trophy, and the collective voice of a nation expresses gratitude. In his own words, the footballer concluded his message with a sense of peace: \u201cI leave with the peace of mind and pride of having given you \u2013 alongside my teammates \u2013 moments we once only dreamed of.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The outpouring of emotion reflects more than admiration for a player; it signals the end of an era that linked a nation\u2019s hopes, hardships and triumphs to a single individual. As Argentina looks ahead, Messi\u2019s legacy will remain a touchstone for future generations, a reminder of what a shared passion can achieve.<\/p>\n\n<div style=\"font-size: 0px; height: 0px; line-height: 0px; margin: 0; padding: 0; clear: both;\"><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Across Buenos Aires, murals, illuminated monuments and spontaneous chants honor Lionel Messi as he announces his retirement from Argentina&#8217;s national team.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":1866,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[1863,1482,1862,1865,1864],"class_list":["post-1865","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports","tag-argentina","tag-football","tag-lionel-messi","tag-retirement","tag-world-cup","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1865","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1865"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1865\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1866"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1865"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1865"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsraise.com\/in\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1865"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}