Messi's announcement of his retirement from the Argentine national team sparked an overwhelming reaction. Among the millions of comments from fans and football figures, one stood out as particularly significant—a message from Di Maria.
Both players belonged to the same generation, experienced seemingly endless defeats together, and ultimately rewrote the history of the Argentine national team together. After Messi announced his retirement, "Angel's" words carried particular weight: it was not only a farewell to a teammate, but also a farewell to one of the protagonists of a legendary story they had co-written over nearly two decades.
Di Maria's full message to Messi
"Seeing the news of your retirement announcement was incredibly painful. The thought of never seeing you in your blue and white jersey again filled me with anguish. How fortunate I am to have been born in an era that allowed me to witness and admire you, and even more fortunate to have fought alongside you in the national team for so many years. Watching you achieve all your dreams, especially the most coveted dream of winning the World Cup. Now you have made this decision—a decision that neither you nor any Argentinian wanted to take. But the moment has come. Today, as always, we want to say to you: Thank you, thank you for everything you have done. You are an eternal legend, the greatest player in football history. 💙💙💙"
