It was Lionel Messi’s farewell match, and Argentina won 3-0. But there was more emotion than joy after the final whistle. Enzo Fernández broke down in tears during Messi’s farewell speech. Thousands of spectators at the Monumental stadium were listening, and his team-mates stood beside their captain. As Messi spoke, Enzo could not hold back his tears.
The scene spread quickly on social media. Asked about it after the match, Enzo said: “To tell the truth, it was a very emotional day. There were many feelings. I hope Leo enjoyed the day. We will miss him a lot.”
Enzo’s love for Messi is not new. At only 15 he wrote a letter about him, when Messi had announced he was leaving the national team. Enzo used to work out the difference between Messi’s age and his own, and wonder whether he would one day be able to play for Argentina alongside him.
In the end that dream came true. Enzo not only played with Messi but won the World Cup with him. In his letter he had written: “I was small. I used to add up your age and mine. I wondered whether I would get to play for Argentina with you even once.”
Playing with Messi widened Enzo’s experience. He had Messi as a team-mate and shared training, the dressing room, hard times and moments of joy. In the end the two became world champions.
Enzo wrote: “I will always be grateful for the way you made me your own from the start. I came with the dream of sharing a pitch with my idol. But from the start you treated me as one of the team.”
Nor has he forgotten the affection and advice he received from Messi: “A kind word from you, a piece of advice, a hug, or simply being there so that I felt at ease when I needed it: I will never forget.”
Enzo finds it hard even to think of Argentina’s next camp without Messi, having been used for so many years to seeing him ahead in the number 10 shirt. Towards the end of the letter he wrote: “How lucky I was, Leo. How lucky that little boy was, who used to work out whether he would ever get to play with you in time.”
His last words, thanking Messi: “Thank you for the way you made me your own, for everything you taught me and for the chance to share a part of your story. We will miss you very much, captain.”
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report