BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has announced that all football matches scheduled across the country this weekend will be stopped in the 10th minute as a tribute to Lionel Messi following his retirement from international football.
AFA president Claudio Tapia said the tribute will be observed across all levels of football in Argentina as the country honours its long-serving captain.
“It will be more than just ordinary matches. It is a way of thanking someone who changed the history of Argentine football,” Tapia said.
Messi, 39, recently announced his retirement from the Argentina national team, having made 207 appearances and scored 125 goals for his country.
The Inter Miami forward leaves behind a remarkable international career in which he helped Argentina win the 2022 FIFA World Cup, two Copa América titles in 2021 and 2024, and the 2022 Finalissima.
During more than two decades with the national team, Messi became Argentina’s all-time leading scorer and its most-capped player.
The AFA said the 10th-minute tribute will serve as an expression of gratitude to a player who helped restore confidence and pride among Argentines in their national team after years of waiting for major international success.
Messi’s international career has been closely linked to a remarkable turnaround for Argentina, which ended a long wait for major trophies with the Copa América triumph in 2021 before adding the Finalissima and World Cup titles.
The weekend tribute will therefore not only celebrate Messi’s individual achievements but also his lasting contribution to Argentine football.
KIGALI TIMES