BUENOS AIRES.- A round of applause for the captain who said goodbye: Argentine football will stop its matches in the tenth minute to pay tribute to Lionel Messiwho announced on Monday his retirement from the national team Argentina.
The measure was ordered this Wednesday by the Argentine Football Association (AFA) as a tribute to the legendary “10”, who at the age of 39 put an end to his glorious international career with the Albiceleste.
The tribute will take place on the next date of all men’s and women’s categories of Argentine football, the AFA reported in a statement.
The one-minute break in each match is “a recognition of Lionel Messi’s career with the Argentine National Team,” the text explained.
In addition, stadiums that have screens must project a video prepared by the AFA in honor of the star before the start of the matches.
The recognition comes two days after Messi ended 21 years of representing his country, with which he won the Qatar World Cup 2022, the 2021 America’s Cups and 2024as well as the Final of 2022.
The left-hander, considered by many to be the best footballer in history, retired as the player with the most games (207) and goals (125) for the three-time world champions.
“I’ve emptied myself, I have no more to give and besides, there are very big kids coming back who deserve to be there,” said the star in an emotional letter in Instagram.
The decision of the now former albiceleste captain occurs after he lost the final of the World Cup 2026 in view of Spain (1-0) on July 19 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
The AFA tribute joins other initiatives that emerged after the farewell of the “Flea”.
In the Chamber of Deputies A project was presented to declare Messi “illustrious and itinerant ambassador of the Argentine Republic“, in recognition of his career and the international projection of his figure.
Robinho Júnior will play in Italy
Son of the former Brazilian international Robinho and one of the greatest promises of the youth academy Santos, Robinho Junior was transferred to Genoa with a purchase option at the end of the season, the Italian club confirmed this Wednesday.
Genoa will have to pay eight million euros if at the end of the campaign they choose to complete the signing, according to press reports.
Robinho Júnior makes the leap to European football at the age of 18.
“He chose Genoa because he considered it the ideal environment to develop his skills,” the Italian team said in an official note.
