There was a time when Lionel Messi’s story in the Argentina jersey was mostly one of regret — reaching finals again and again only to lose, unable to deliver a trophy for Argentina. That same Messi went on to fulfill every dream, his own and Argentina’s, including the World Cup.
Messi, who has now won every trophy there is, recently bid farewell to the Argentina jersey. Former Argentina footballer Juan Roman Riquelme now believes Messi should be allowed to enjoy football on his own terms. That is why Messi’s former national-team teammate wants him to stay in the United States rather than return to Argentina.
In an interview with Argentine broadcaster TyC Sports, Riquelme praised Messi and said Argentines should now show him even more love and gratitude.
In Riquelme’s words: “We should thank Messi even more. After everything he’s done, what more could we ask of him? Messi fulfilled his own dream, and he fulfilled ours too. I don’t know if Messi is the greatest of all time, but he’s one of the greatest. No footballer has been able to stay at the top level for this many years. It’s unbelievable.”
Riquelme also recalled Messi’s long struggle, highlighting how Messi kept fighting even when he wasn’t achieving success with the national team early on. “All the love Argentines are giving Messi, he deserves every bit of it,” Riquelme said. “Because Messi gave everything he had trying. He suffered a lot. He couldn’t win at first, he struggled a great deal. In the end, Messi achieved everything. God did Messi justice, and that’s truly wonderful. Now we should love Messi. We should thank Messi for what he’s done for Argentine football and for football as a whole. The whole world loves Messi, and he deserves that love.”
Riquelme’s relationship with Messi goes back a long way. The two played together on the national team and won gold for Argentina at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. That bond remains intact. Messi was present at Riquelme’s farewell match in 2023. Riquelme wore Argentina’s No. 10 jersey before Messi did. The former midfielder now serves as president of Boca Juniors.
On his relationship with Messi, Riquelme said: “I talk to Messi all the time. Our relationship is wonderful. Messi loves me a lot, and I love him a lot too. I wanted to play alongside him even more than I did. But whatever time I got to play with him, I consider myself lucky for that. The love and mutual respect between us is what matters most.”
Riquelme also voiced uncertainty about whether a player like Messi will come along again. Still, he said, Argentines should consider themselves fortunate to have had someone like him.
In his own words: “I don’t know if we’ll ever be lucky enough to get a player like Messi again. After Maradona passed away, we thought no one like him would ever come along. Then someone came who was just as good, or even better. We Argentines are very lucky.”
Riquelme now wants to let Messi enjoy life on his own terms. Though he has hung up the Argentina jersey, Messi continues to play for the U.S. club Inter Miami.
It had previously been reported that Messi wants to return to his childhood club, Newell’s Old Boys, in Argentina at the end of his career.
But Riquelme believes Messi is better off staying in the United States than returning to Argentine domestic football. “Messi should now be allowed to enjoy football in the United States for as long as he wants,” he said. “We Argentines will always give Messi our love and affection. We should leave Messi alone. As long as Messi wants to play, he should be allowed to play. It’s better for him to stay in the United States. And all of us football-loving Argentines will keep supporting Messi.”