Argentina president Javier Milei salutes Lionel Messi after international retirement announcement

Javier Milei has paid tribute to Lionel Messi after the Argentina captain announced his retirement from international football, describing the 37-year-old as the “man of the impossible”.

Messi’s decision was treated as far more than a sporting development in Argentina, with the news quickly reaching the highest levels of the country’s government.

Milei joined the tributes with a brief message praising the player who has led the national team through one of the most successful periods in the country’s modern football history.

The Argentine president shared a photograph of Messi greeting supporters on his Instagram account. Alongside the image, he wrote: “Thank you very much, man of the impossible.”

The message came several hours after Messi confirmed that he had decided to bring his international career to an end. In an emotional statement, the Argentina captain said the decision had not been easy, but followed a long period of consideration and his belief that the time had come to make room for a new generation of players.

Messi explained that he had reached the point where he felt he had given everything he could to the national team.

“I have exhausted everything I have, and I have nothing more to give, as well as there being a group of wonderful young players who deserve to get their chance,” he said.

The announcement brought an end to Messi’s time with Argentina, a career that has made him one of the most influential figures in the nation’s football history. His departure was therefore met with a response that extended beyond the sport itself, prompting recognition from the country’s president.

Milei’s tribute focused on Messi’s extraordinary influence and the achievements associated with his leadership of the national side. The image chosen by the president showed the footballer acknowledging the supporters, underlining the close connection between Messi and the Argentine public.

Although the presidential message was short, its wording reflected the scale of Messi’s standing in Argentina. By calling him the “man of the impossible”, Milei highlighted the remarkable expectations the captain has carried during his career and the importance attached to his contribution to the national team.

Messi’s own words, meanwhile, made clear that his retirement was a considered decision rather than an immediate reaction. He said he had thought about the move for a long time before deciding that the opportunity should now pass to younger players.

The Argentina captain’s announcement has consequently been understood in his homeland as the closing of a major international chapter. Milei’s public farewell provided an official acknowledgement of a player whose influence has reached the highest levels of Argentine society.