The Moment Lionel Messi’s Homecoming Felt More Than Just A Farewell

ON TUESDAY NIGHT, under the cloudy skies of Buenos Aires, as Argentina sorrowfully said goodbye to Lionel Messi in his final match for the national team, there was a very specific moment that I can’t erase out of my mind. It wasn’t the crowd’s energy chanting his name upon scoring his 126th goal, nor the light drone show that extravagantly produced a tribute for the more than 85,000 witnesses packed into Estadio Más Monumental. It wasn’t Enzo Fernández’s uncontrollable tears or even Messi’s reflective speech where he solemnly remembered his late father as well as his nation. It wasn’t any of this. The moment that truly and fervently grabbed and brought me to tears was when Thiago Messi — Leo’s 13-year-old and oldest son — approached his father during the post-game tributes and embraced him with a hug. Both consoled each other, crying in a sea of emotion because Thiago knew that his father’s impact on the nation had been so powerful that this international retirement was almost too much to take in. But I also think that particular beautiful moment between father and son made Thiago realize the sacrifices his papá had made throughout his career and how after everything Lionel Messi has gone through, it was now time to close the chapter on this incredible story. At 13, Thiago is the same age his father was when he left his home country for Barcelona and I think there was a beautiful sense of understanding from Leo’s eldest son. The hug was a moment of empathy and appreciation as Messi’s successes and triumphs, which include World Cup and Champions League glory and more trophies than any other player in the history of the sport, also came with unmeasurable pain. And that’s why last night was special. Because it wasn’t just about saying, “thank you.” It was also about saying, “I understand your sacrifice and I remain grateful for what you gave to the world.” LIONEL MESSI’S INTERNATIONAL career cannot be defined simply by goals or assists, nor by the trophies he has accumulated along the way. There simply isn’t a barometer on the planet that can measure his greatness, because what Messi has provided for Argentinians — and the footballing world — is not just about his own excellence. The real beauty is about the obstacles in Messi’s path and how he battled through a series of struggles. From being rejected as an Argentinian after losing a World Cup final and back-to-back Copa América titles between 2014 and 2016 to returning to a road of redemption until winning it all in 2022. Argentina needs to own its role too. During the hardships, to many critics, there was a patriotic rejection against Messi and much of the reason was because Leo was the complete opposite of their original hero, Diego Maradona. The late legend was controversial, loud, funny, charismatic and quintessentially boisterous in a typical Argentinian way, which was everything Messi the introvert wasn’t. Maradona also played in Argentina until he was 21 until he left for Europe. Messi left Rosario as a teenager and for many years, the federation didn’t even know about him. There was, therefore, a deep pain that impacted Leo throughout his career, and it wasn’t until he returned from his first retirement in August 2016, two months after losing the aforementioned Copa América Centenario to Chile, that his nation realized that what Messi needed was love and support. “IF I GOT rid of my demons, I’d lose my angels.” Tennessee Williams’ saying encapsulates why Messi needed those moments of struggle and rejection in order for us to fully appreciate the light of his greatness. And that’s why Tuesday night in Buenos Aires, in front of 85,000 people and millions more watching from around the world, the tribute was not a farewell. It was a homecoming. So what happens next? What do we make of this empty void? How do we react to the future of not just Argentinian football on the international stage, but of the entire global game? How do we appreciate art without its painter? I think the answer is already here. From Lamine Yamal’s brilliance and Erling Haaland’s preponderance to Michael Olise’s dazzle and Jude Bellingham’s genius, the world’s game is in good hands. World-class talent, as I have alluded to, will come and go and we will see beautiful moments from many players for the next few decades. And if we feel like reliving it, we can always take a trip to Miami — at least in the near future. But know this and remember it well. There will never exist another player like Lionel Messi because what he gave us wasn’t just about his own brilliant self. It was also about ourselves and how, for 90 minutes, a diminutive, introverted Argentinian from Rosario made us feel like giants.