Argentina legend Angel Di Maria penned an emotional note for Lionel Messi, alongside whom he played for 18 years in international football. Di Maria retired from international football after the 2024 Copa America. Messi decided to retire after the 2026 World Cup, playing his last international match against Benin on Wednesday (IST), arranged as his farewell match.
The two icons began their journey in the same era, faced several heartbreaks, and then lifted the World Cup title and twin Copa America titles, bringing glory back to Argentina.
Messi bid adieu to international soccer after 21 years, 126 goals, two Copa América titles, and a World Cup championship. He scored a penalty and set up Argentina’s other two goals for a 3-0 victory over Benin.
And I was lucky enough to have had the privilege of playing alongside you for 18 years. Also Read – The end of Lionel Messi’s Argentina story: How a player once called a failure became the nation’s leader “For carrying our flag to the very top and making it shine all over the world. To be more than just a football teammate, to share barbecues, the club, the national team, and so many other things together,” he added.
