Dear Leo Messi ,
I had a strong feeling after the 2026 World Cup final on 20 July that it would be your last match in an Argentine jersey. When the Copa America finally arrived in 2021, something changed. And by the time you lifted the World Cup in 2022, the story felt complete in a way we had once feared it never would. The 2022 FIFA World Cup triumph had you and your fans in tears. The 2022 World Cup was a great satisfaction indeed. At the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, not many expected to see the same Messi at 39, but what we got was perhaps an even more lethal version of you. The 2026 World Cup gave us a rollercoaster of emotions, and watching you lead Argentina through it was a privilege in itself.
The final didn’t pan out the way we wanted, but there was also an acceptance that we had lost to the better side on the day. Because of everything we were fortunate enough to witness in the final years of your career, perhaps. Because of you, for the last two decades, millennials and Gen Zs have followed and connected with the Argentina team largely.
But when the reality of your announcement last evening hit, it was still hard to digest. We always knew this moment would come, yet seeing you announce your retirement on Instagram left a void that is difficult to put into words. And yet, there was also a sense of acceptance. After years of heartbreak in World Cup finals, Copa America finals and the agonising wait for that first major international trophy, those final few years turned into an absolute goldmine. For every Argentine and every Messi fan, the weight of all those near-misses suddenly lifted. The trophies that had eluded you for so long began to arrive, one after another. A past generation grew up watching Diego Maradona’s magic on the field, but once you stepped onto it, you ensured that the magic returned – perhaps this time with more finesse, consistency and, above all, discipline. I even had the iconic picture of you kissing the World Cup trophy inked. It was a moment of immense personal satisfaction for millions around the world who simply wanted their idol to have the one thing he had craved throughout his career. You had arguably your best chance to win the title, surrounded by a team capable of going all the way, but the shock defeat to Saudi Arabia brought back the ghosts of the past. Yet, this Argentina side refused to let history repeat itself. They bounced back, fought their way through the tournament and gave us a World Cup campaign to remember. You lifted the trophy, and with it, a weight that had followed you for years disappeared at last. There was one more chapter left, though. Eight goals and four assists at a World Cup at that age is not something everyone can pull off. But then, there is a reason you are called the GOAT.
