‘In my heart until I die’: Argentina says a tearful thank you to Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi's announcement on Monday that he is retiring from international football with Argentina prompted an outpouring of tributes across the country, from teammates and public figures to ordinary fans on the street. Though he led Argentina to World Cup glory in 2022, the decision to step away had been anticipated since his tearful reaction in New Jersey following the most recent World Cup final on 19 July, and its confirmation still struck a deep emotional chord nationally.

Messi posted his farewell on Instagram as photos of three handwritten pages, accompanied by a song from Soledad Pastorutti, triggering messages from teammates including Cristian Romero, Giovani Lo Celso and Nico Paz, as well as journalists, psychologists and members of the public who recorded messages of thanks on a street-corner "red telephone" in Buenos Aires. Writer Andrés Burgo noted that Messi or Diego Maradona had featured in 10 of the last 12 World Cups, framing the retirement as the end of a near 45-year era for Argentinian football. Messi revealed the letter was written two days after the final but that recent events involving his father reinforced his resolve, with the note originally reading "I think" before he crossed it out and replaced it with "I understand".