Mourinho honours Messi after international retirement
José Mourinho has praised Lionel Messi as one of football’s all-time greats following his retirement from international duty. Mourinho highlighted Messi’s remarkable achievements and influence over the past two decades. Messi ended his Argentina career as the record appearance-maker and top scorer. The football world is set to pay tribute to Messi’s legacy in various ways.
Match highlights
- José Mourinho called Lionel Messi “one of the greatest players of his generation” after Messi’s retirement from international football.
- Messi, 39, announced his retirement from the Argentina national team on August 31, ending a 21-year international career.
- The decision followed Argentina’s 1–0 defeat to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final, where Messi captained his team.
- Messi led Argentina to World Cup victory in 2022 and Copa América titles in 2021 and 2024, finishing with 207 caps and 125 goals.
- The Argentine Football Association announced that domestic matches this weekend will pause in the 10th minute for a minute of applause in honour of Messi.
