Brazilian star Neymar Jr has praised World Cup champion Lionel Messi ahead of Messi's farewell match. This match is for Argentina's men's team against the Republic of Benin. It will take place at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, the largest stadium in South America, on Tuesday.
Messi, who holds the record for most appearances in Argentine football, is retiring from international football. This comes just two and a half months after Argentina lost the 2026 World Cup final to Spain. Today, Messi will wear Argentina’s sky-blue-and-white jersey for the last time during an emotional farewell in front of his fans.
Neymar played with Messi at FC Barcelona. The two of them won many important trophies together, including La Liga and the Champions League.
On Tuesday, Fabrizio Romano shared Neymar's heartfelt tribute to Messi on X. He quoted Neymar saying, “Anyone who loves football has enjoyed you throughout all these years… Today is your final game wearing the shirt of your national team, your country, and I hope you enjoy every second of it and that all the tributes today make you happy.
“It’s not only Argentina that thanks you; the whole world thanks you for everything you’ve done for football. Thank you for making me love football even more.
“It was an honour to have played against you, and even more so to have made history alongside you. Thank you, Leo Messi.”
According to AFP, around 85,000 fans from Argentina will be there to watch the 39-year-old legend show off his skills in a match that closes the chapter on his 21-year international career.
Drop your comment
No comments yet — be the first to drop the gist 👇