Lionel Messi: Argentine soccer league to cease video games to honour Messi

The Argentine league can pay tribute to Lionel Messi after his retirement from worldwide soccer by pausing all of their matches within the tenth minute this weekend for a minute of applause.

The 39-year-old, who wore the quantity 10 shirt for Argentina, introduced his retirement from the nationwide facet on Monday.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner’s closing recreation for his nation, who he captained to World Cup glory in Qatar in 2022, was the 2026 World Cup closing defeat by Spain in July.

“In tribute and homage to Lionel Messi’s career with the Argentina national team, at the 10th minute of play in all matches the referees will stop the game and a general minute of applause will be held,” the Argentine Football Association mentioned.

“We look forward to seeing you on the fields – join us in this recognition!”

Messi, who’s Argentina’s appearances file holder with 207 caps, first retired from worldwide soccer in 2016 earlier than reversing his choice.

That adopted a defeat by Chile within the Copa America closing, through which he missed a penalty within the shootout as Argentina misplaced a fourth main closing in 9 years.

The former Barcelona ahead went win the World Cup and two Copa America titles with Argentina, scoring a file 125 targets.

Messi made his worldwide debut in 2005 as a 63rd-minute substitute in a 2-1 pleasant win over Hungary.

Having moved to Barcelona’s La Masia academy as a 13-year-old, Messi has by no means performed senior membership soccer in his native nation.

He is the second-highest goalscorer in World Cup historical past, with 21, behind France’s Kylian Mbappe (22), and second for targets in all internationals (125) behind his nice rival, Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo (146).

In August, he mentioned he was contemplating his future in soccer after the dying of his father, Jorge, who died aged 68 following an extended sickness.

When he introduced his retirement from worldwide soccer, he mentioned following his dad’s dying he was “even more convinced than before” that he was making the appropriate choice.

He will proceed to play in Major League Soccer with Inter Miami, the place he has a contract that runs to the top of the 2028 season.