(Messi. Photo by Sky News)
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni has revealed he played a key role in convincing Lionel Messi to come back for a final farewell match after stepping away from international football.
Scaloni said a player of Messi’s calibre deserved a proper send-off in front of Argentine fans.
Speaking to journalists, he explained that he personally pushed for the opportunity, working alongside the Argentine Football Association president to make it happen.
Messi had retired from international duty following Argentina’s loss to Spain in the World Cup final, a defeat that hit him hard.
He spent time processing the outcome while dealing with his father’s death before publicly announcing his withdrawal.
Despite everything he was going through, Messi agreed to return and say goodbye to his country.
Scaloni described the timing as crucial, stressing that one cannot predict what the future holds.
The manager said the farewell match serves a dual purpose it gives Messi a chance to properly bid farewell to supporters while allowing the nation to honour his contributions to the team.
He emphasised that if they were going to pay tribute to him, the moment had to be now.