Lionel Messi gave soccer fans around the world an unforgettable and emotional moment when he was seen in tears during what is widely expected to be his last game on Argentine soil for the national team. The legendary striker struggled to contain his emotions ahead of Argentina’s friendly clash with Zambia at La Bombonera in Buenos Aires as fans created a heartwarming atmosphere for their beloved captain.
Read the full article
The 38-year-old Inter Miami star was visibly emotional as he stood with his teammates in front of kick-off and soaked up 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 upset in front of the home fans during what could be his farewell match.
Messi made sure it was a night to remember on the pitch as well, scoring a goal and an assist in Argentina’s emphatic 5-0 win over Zambia on Tuesday night in their World Cup farewell friendly.
Deeply emotional scenes take place in Argentina
Lionel Messi is currently playing what is expected to be his LAST game with the national team on Argentine soil.
The final chapter at home for the greatest of all time before the 2026 World Cup. This really hurts. pic.twitter.com/yW8WaYYxyi— Topskills Sports UK (@topskillsportuk) April 1, 2026
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 to the delight of a packed crowd. In addition to Messi and Álvarez, Valentn Barco and Nicolas Otamendi were also on the scoresheet for Argentina.
The emotional event was made even more special when fans stood up to give Messi a standing ovation. Chants echoed through the stadium as supporters urged their captain to lead Argentina to yet another World Cup triumph.
The tournament is set to begin on June 11 in the United States, Canada and Mexico, and with Messi once again set to play a key role, 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 THE BEST
Ahead of the friendly against Zambia, head coach Lionel Scaloni has issued a stark warning, saying he is ready to make a major decision on his 26-man World Cup squad, which must be finalized by May 30, if the squad fails to show improvement.
Those concerns stemmed from Argentina’s stunning display in 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 will have to be submitted to FIFA. As for the final 26, in terms of percentages, we are over the limit. We will have to start cutting players based on performance,” Scaloni told a press conference on Monday.
But Argentina returned to their best with an impressive performance against Zambia. For his final home game before the World Cup, Lionel Scaloni has named a line-up largely similar to the one that defeated France in the 2022 final.
The most notable change was the absence of midfielder Rodrigo De Paulo, who is recovering from a muscle injury and struggled in the win over Mauritania.
Argentina, winners of the last World Cup as well as the 1978 and 1986 editions, open their campaign in Group J against Algeria on June 16, before facing Austria on June 22 and Jordan on June 27.
– The end
Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
1 Apr 2026 08:58 IST
