‘Football won’t be the same again’: Revanth Reddy bids farewell to Messi

The end of Lionel Messi’s international career has drawn an emotional tribute from Telangana chief minister A. Revanth Reddy, who hailed the Argentine football icon as a player who captivated and inspired generations of fans around the world.

Messi announced his retirement from international football on Monday, bringing down the curtain on a remarkable two-decade journey with Argentina. The 39-year-old leaves the international stage as the country’s record appearance-maker and leading scorer, with 125 goals in 207 appearances.

Paying tribute to the Argentine great, Revanth Reddy said Messi had “enthralled, entertained, energised and inspired” the football world and recalled his own memorable meeting with the star in Hyderabad.

“Dear Messi, you have enthralled, entertained, energised and inspired the entire #football world. It was a great privilege to share a few minutes on a football turf with you in #Hyderabad. Football won’t be the same again without the GOAT. Farewell and keep inspiring,” Reddy said in a post on X.

The Telangana chief minister had shared the football pitch with Messi during the Argentine star’s GOAT India Tour in December 2025. During the second leg of the tour in Hyderabad, Messi was joined by former Uruguay striker Luis Suárez and Argentina midfielder Rodrigo De Paul for a GOAT Cup penalty shootout.

Reddy, appearing in football attire, also took part in the event, which included football clinics aimed at children and young aspiring players.

For Messi, Monday’s announcement marked the close of an extraordinary international chapter that began with his Argentina debut in 2005. His journey with the national team was filled with both heartbreak and triumph, from painful defeats in major finals to eventually becoming the architect of one of the most glorious periods in Argentine football.

After years of disappointment, Messi finally ended Argentina’s long wait for a major international trophy by winning the Copa América in 2021. A year later, he reached the pinnacle of his career by guiding Argentina to the 2022 FIFA World Cup title in Qatar. He added another Copa América crown in 2024.

Messi also led Argentina to the 2026 World Cup final, where their campaign ended in a narrow 1-0 extra-time defeat to Spain. Despite the disappointment, he departs international football with a legacy few in the sport can rival.

An eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, Messi leaves behind a glittering collection of individual and team honours and a generation of unforgettable moments in Argentina’s famous blue-and-white shirt.

His retirement from international football, however, does not mean the end of his playing career. Messi is set to continue his club career with Inter Miami, where he remains one of the biggest names in world football.

For Argentina and millions of admirers beyond its borders, Messi’s departure from the international stage represents the closing of an era — one shaped by extraordinary skill, resilience, heartbreak and, ultimately, redemption.

With PTI inputs