‘You Are Immortal’—Martinez, De Paul and Argentina Stars Pay Emotional Tribute to Messi

Lionel Messi’s announcement of retirement from the Argentina national team has left his teammates overwhelmed with emotion. To some, he is a captain; to others, a close friend. But for many, Messi will always remain the greatest footballer of all time.

Following the 39-year-old’s emotional announcement that his journey in the famous sky-blue and white shirt has come to an end, Argentina’s current and former players flooded social media with heartfelt tributes.

After an extraordinary 21-year international career, Messi confirmed that he would no longer represent Argentina. His decision immediately sparked an emotional reaction from teammates who shared memories, gratitude and admiration for their legendary captain.

Young Argentine midfielder Nico Paz found it difficult to accept Messi’s decision. In a Facebook post, he wrote, “No, Leoooo. You still have so much more to give.”

Enzo Fernandez also shared an emotional message, recalling Messi’s first retirement announcement in 2016.

“Leo, when you announced that you were leaving the national team, I was devastated,” Fernandez wrote. “I was very young at the time, and I used to calculate our ages to see whether I might ever get the chance to play alongside you.”

He continued, “It may sound silly, but I really did that. Thankfully, you came back. Not only did I get the chance to play with you, but we shared training camps, dressing rooms, difficult moments and unforgettable experiences. In the end, we became world champions together.”

Fernandez admitted that imagining future Argentina camps without Messi will be incredibly difficult.

“It is hard to imagine the next national team camp without you,” he wrote. “Not seeing you wearing the No. 10 shirt on the pitch will feel almost impossible after all these years. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to be part of history. We will miss you so much, captain.”

Argentina striker Lautaro Martinez also paid an emotional tribute to Messi, saying that words were not enough to express his gratitude.

“Leo, I do not know enough words to thank you for everything you have done for us,” Lautaro wrote. “Beyond everything you achieved on the pitch, I will always remember what you taught us away from it.”

He continued, “Never giving up, trying again after every setback, working quietly and, above all, always believing in ourselves—those are lessons I will carry with me forever. Your leadership was not only about goals, assists or trophies. The example you set in representing our national team is what truly matters. We will miss you so much, captain.”

Rodrigo De Paul, one of Messi’s closest friends in the Argentina squad, delivered one of the most emotional tributes.

“Thank you for your love for your country, your determination to never give up, your strength to endure injustice and your humanity toward every player,” De Paul wrote.

He then described Messi as the greatest of all time, adding, “The greatest of all time, you cannot imagine how many smiles you have brought to our faces. You are immortal.”

Messi’s longtime teammate and close friend Angel Di Maria kept his message short but deeply meaningful.

“Thank you forever, captain,” Di Maria wrote.

Midfielder Leandro Paredes, another close friend of Messi, admitted that despite believing he was prepared for this moment, he was not ready to say goodbye.

“I thought I was prepared for this news, but clearly I was not,” Paredes wrote. “As an Argentine, a national team supporter, a teammate and a friend, thank you endlessly for everything you have done for me.”

He added, “When I try to talk about you, I lose my words. Your contribution and generosity as a player are extraordinary, but above all, you are an incredible human being.”

For more than two decades, Messi represented an entire era in Argentine football. His retirement therefore marks more than the end of a player’s international career—it signals the closing of one of the greatest chapters in Argentina’s sporting history.

Yet, as the emotional tributes from his teammates make clear, Messi may be leaving the national team, but his legacy will remain forever.

Perhaps Rodrigo De Paul summed it up best:

“The greatest of all time—you are immortal.”