Emotional Lionel Messi breaks down in tears during final match in Argentina: Watch

Lionel Messi gave football fans across the world an unforgettable and emotional moment as he was seen in tears during what is widely expected to be his final match on Argentine soil for the national team. The legendary forward struggled to hold back his emotions before Argentina’s friendly clash against Zambia at La Bombonera in Buenos Aires, as supporters created a heartfelt atmosphere for their beloved captain.

The 38-year-old Inter Miami star was visibly emotional while standing with his teammates before kickoff, soaking in the chants, songs and love pouring in from the home crowd. A viral video from the stadium showed Messi wiping away tears as he became emotional during what could be his farewell match in front of his home fans.

Messi made sure the night remained memorable on the pitch as well, producing a goal and an assist in Argentina’s emphatic 5-0 win over Zambia on Tuesday night in a farewell friendly ahead of the World Cup.

The veteran forward set up Julian Alvarez for the opening goal in the fourth minute before getting on the scoresheet himself in the 43rd minute in Buenos Aires, delighting the packed crowd. Apart from Messi and Alvarez, Valentin Barco and Nicolas Otamendi were also on the scoresheet for Argentina.

The emotional occasion became even more special as fans rose to their feet to give Messi a standing ovation. Chants echoed around the stadium as supporters urged their captain to lead Argentina to another World Cup triumph.

The tournament is scheduled to begin on June 11 in the United States, Canada and Mexico, and with Messi expected to play a key role once again, the farewell atmosphere in Buenos Aires felt like a tribute to one of football’s greatest icons.

Also Read: Azzurri Apocalypse 3.0: Italy miss FIFA World Cup months after cricket joy

ARGENTINA BACK TO THEIR BEST

Ahead of the Zambia friendly, head coach Lionel Scaloni had issued a strong warning, saying he was prepared to make major decisions regarding his 26-man World Cup squad, which must be finalized by May 30 if the team failed to show improvement.

Those concerns stemmed from Argentina’s underwhelming display in last Friday’s 2-1 win over Mauritania, a performance that raised questions despite the result.

“We have already submitted the 55-man list to the AFA, which they will then have to pass on to FIFA. As for the final 26, in terms of percentages, we are over the limit. We’ll have to start cutting players based on performance,” Scaloni had said in a press conference on Monday.

But Argentina returned to their best with an impressive performance against Zambia. For their final home match before the World Cup, Lionel Scaloni named a lineup largely similar to the one that defeated France in the 2022 final.

The most notable change was the absence of midfielder Rodrigo De Paul, who is recovering from a muscle injury and had also struggled in the win over Mauritania.

Argentina, champions of the last World Cup as well as the 1978 and 1986 editions, will begin their Group J campaign against Algeria on June 16, before facing Austria on June 22 and Jordan on June 27.

- Ends

Click here to read article