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Mourinho pays tribute to Messi after retirement

From The Punch · () English

Summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • José Mourinho praised Lionel Messi as one of the greatest players of his generation after Messi retired from international football.
  • Messi ended a 21-year Argentina career with 207 appearances and 125 goals after captaining the team in the 2026 World Cup final.
  • Messi will continue playing for Inter Miami, while Argentina’s domestic matches will pause in the 10th minute this weekend for a minute of applause.

José Mourinho says Lionel Messi’s retirement from international football will leave a lasting absence for fans who watched him dominate the game for two decades.

“There are no words to describe his quality as a player,” Mourinho said. “With what he did at the World Cup, at 39 years old… He’s a player we’ll miss. We’ll have to watch some MLS games to enjoy his last years; I don’t know if it will be a season or seasons.”

Messi, 39, announced his Argentina retirement on August 31, ending a 21-year international career. The decision came seven weeks after Argentina lost 1-0 to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final, where Messi captained the team as it failed to retain the title won in 2022.

There are no words to describe his quality as a player. With what he did at the World Cup, at 39 years old… He’s a player we’ll miss. We’ll have to watch some MLS games to enjoy his last years; I don’t know if it will be a season or seasons.

· José MourinhoMourinho praised Messi after his retirement from Argentina’s national team.

He led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and won the Copa América in 2021 and 2024. Messi finished as Argentina’s record appearance-maker and leading scorer, with 207 caps and 125 goals. The 2026 tournament marked his sixth World Cup, after he made his international debut in 2005.

International retirement will not end his playing career. Messi remains with Major League Soccer club Inter Miami, prompting Mourinho to joke that he will watch MLS matches to enjoy the Argentine star’s final club seasons. The Argentine Football Association has also announced a minute of applause in the 10th minute of domestic matches this weekend, a tribute to Messi’s iconic No. 10 shirt.

He’s one of those players who, as I said the other day, you always miss. This player, for our generation, over these last two decades, we all know what he represents.

· José MourinhoMourinho described Messi’s importance to the generation that watched his career.
About this summary

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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