Buenos Aires gave Lionel Messi a final international curtain call on Tuesday, and one of the warmest messages came from a former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain team-mate. Before Argentina’s 3-0 win over Benin, Neymar paid tribute to the forward as he made his last appearance in the Albiceleste shirt.
Neymar salutes Messi’s Argentina farewell
Neymar shared a photograph of himself with Messi taken after the 2021 Copa America final, a tournament won by Argentina and their eight-time Ballon d’Or captain. The Brazilian said Messi’s influence had reached far beyond his own country.
- Neymar said football supporters had been able to enjoy Messi’s talent over many years.
- He hoped Messi could savour every second of his farewell occasion and take happiness from the tributes paid to him.
- “It is not only Argentina that thanks you; the world thanks you for everything you have done for football,” Neymar wrote.
- He added that Messi had made him love the game even more, calling it an honour to play against him and, more importantly, to make history alongside him.
Neymar ended his message with a simple “Thank you, Leo Messi,” as football’s attention turned to the Argentina captain’s final match for his national side.
Final appearance ends in victory
Messi’s goodbye came in Buenos Aires, where Argentina beat Benin 3-0 on Tuesday. The occasion marked the end of his career in the national-team shirt, with tributes arriving from across the game for a player whose standing has long extended beyond Argentina.
From Barcelona to Paris
The bond between Neymar and Messi was forged first at Barcelona, where they played together from 2013 to 2017. Their time at the Catalan club included a Champions League triumph.
They reunited in Ligue 1 at Paris Saint-Germain, sharing the dressing room again between 2021 and 2023. Neymar’s tribute therefore came from a player who had seen Messi both as an opponent and as a team-mate at two of Europe’s biggest clubs.
