bookd.
Argentina3 - 0Benin
So, the day has come. The day millions, maybe even billions, have been dreading has finally arrived. A human, much like any of us, has somehow managed to change all of our lives. He has influenced us in ways that perhaps no one else ever could. I started watching him when I was around five or six, but somehow, it feels like I knew him even before that. Like I had been watching him play from my mother’s womb. There was always something different about him. And rightfully so. For more than ten years, he made my life what it was. He gave me moments I’ll probably never be able to put into words, and memories that I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life. But alas, all great things must come to an end. Fortunately, his absence hasn’t really hit me yet. I don’t know when the days of sobbing and weeping will come, or when it’ll truly sink in that I won’t get to watch him play again. But for now, I’d rather dwell on the memories he gave me, as a Barça fan, an Argentina fan, and, above all, a Messi fan. If I had to describe his entire footballing journey in one sentence, it would be: He came, he saw, he conquered — both football and the hearts of billions. Gracias, Leo. For everything. The greatest there is. The greatest there was. The greatest there will ever be.
ArgentinaArgentina3 - 0Benin
lionel andrés messi cuccittini, where do i begin? there are not enough words in the english dictionary to describe a player of your calibre and even if there was it still wouldn't be enough. 21 years of wearing the argentinian shirt will never be enough, it should've been for an eternity. from your argentina debut in 2005 to winning the the world cup in 2022, you have given us incredible memories that will live with us forever. you have given your heart and soul for this country and ur efforts will never be forgotten ❤️🩹 for all of the highs you have experienced in these 21 years you have also gone through the worst times possible including the gut-wrenching 2014 world cup final loss to germany through to the heart breaking copa america losses in 2015 and 2016. the decision to overturn your retirement in 2016 was one of the best things you could've done as we wouldn't have seen u lift 2 copa america's, the finalissima as well as winning the 2022 world cup after chasing this dream for so long 🥹 messi's international retirement is a sad sad day for us all but it is also an important time to reflect on all of the beautiful memories he has given us incredible memories in an argentina shirt: winner against iran in the 2014 wc, a hattrick against ecuador to save argentina from not qualifying for the 2018 wc, saving argentina from an early exit from the 2022 world cup by scoring against mexico as well as becoming tje only player EVER to score in EVERY SINGLE STAGE of a world cup tournament (this man is exceptionally INSANE to be making records at his age) seeing you lift the world cup in 2022 was one of the happiest moments i have ever experienced. the world cup had always been a trophy that had evaded you but you did everything in your power to ensure the world cup trophy was coming back to argentina. they treated you like a king, lifting you up with the world cup trophy and lifting you up in the air. i would do anything to relieve this again. (pt2 posted as a pic)
ArgentinaArgentina3 - 0Benin
I’ve written this before the game, while i usually do tend to go for long reviews of games, i think this is the one time I’ll forget about the game completely. End of the day, whatever the result, it is a goodbye to the greatest footballer of all time, luckily only for the national team. So i will try to keep this mostly about the national team. August 17 2005 he made his debut for the national team. Of course if we look back from now he obviously has had a successful national team career, with two Copa America’s and a World Cup, including two more World Cup final appearances too. But just over 10 years ago he decided to retire on the spot after losing to Chile in the Copa America final, where he missed a penalty in the shootout too. I remember that day very well to be honest, it felt truly insane that he decided to quit. But, to the relief of i hope every football fan, he reversed that decision. Since then Argentina has become one of the most dominant teams despite not having the quality in every position, but just one brilliant little man is enough. Fact is that this goes beyond any goat debate that ever existed, it goes beyond any hate or love for players, and if you like it or not the greatest player to have walked this earth ends his national team career today. It might not be his toughest fixture against Benin, but it’s special regardless. I’m not the type of person usually to be watching a game for just one player, and when i do it was usually for a classic 10 like Isco, James, or Özil. Or Godts of course, can’t leave that beautiful man out of this. But Messi absolutely is one of those players, he’s the player you open a bottle of wine or whiskey for and just sit back and enjoy. You’ll be seeing things that are so unbelievably incredible which he makes look easy. Football is called the beautiful game, and Messi is why.
ArgentinaArgentina3 - 0Benin
Messi, muchas gracias por todo. Ever since I laid my eyes on you on July 9, 2014, during the 2014 World Cup match against the Netherlands, I couldn’t stop thinking about you. I never really came from a football family, but I fell in love with the way you moved with the ball, so elegantly, so effortlessly, and so out of this world. At the time, I happened to be vacationing in the Dominican Republic, and I remember hearing the Argentine supporters singing and chanting. There was something about that atmosphere that captivated me. Instantly, I fell in love with football, and I decided I would follow you throughout your career. After the World Cup ended, I started supporting Barcelona. And just three years later, I got to see you play in person during the 2017 El Clásico friendly against Real Madrid here in Miami. I still remember what it felt like to see you standing on that pitch in front of me, the player I had spent years watching on a screen was suddenly right there. Since that day in 2014, so much has happened. I watched you experience the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. I watched you win everything there was to win, and I watched you endure moments when it seemed like the one thing you wanted most was always just out of reach. But you never stopped. And then came 2022. I don’t think I will ever be able to properly put into words what it felt like watching you lift the World Cup. After everything you had experienced with Argentina, seeing you finally become a world champion felt incredibly personal, even for those of us watching from thousands of miles away. You gave me memories I will carry for the rest of my life. You made me fall in love with football. You introduced me to Barcelona, to Argentina, to the beauty of this sport, and to a culture and community I may have never discovered otherwise.
ArgentinaArgentina3 - 0Benin
no existe futbol sin vos, el mejor de todos los tiempos 🫶 te vamos a extrañar carajo!!!
ArgentinaArgentina3 - 0Benin
Lionel, When I was 5, I was still being introduced to the sport of football by my father and grandfather. One day, I see my father watching a match during the 2014 World Cup between Argentina and Nigeria. I remember vividly seeing you score one of the best free-kicks I have ever seen in my life, and on that day, I became obsessed with your football. My father, who is a lifelong FC Barcelona fan, raised me to support them. But to be honest, if you had not been playing for Barcelona at the time, I don’t know if I would have supported them at the time. Your style of football and the way you change everything that surrounds you when you’re on the ball had me starstruck during every game. In 2016, I got to watch you play with my very own eyes in the Camp Nou, and it’s safe to say it was one of the greatest days of my life. Watching you play in real life showed me that there will never be a footballer like you ever in history. In 2019, I got to watch you play for Argentina live again, and in that game, you scored the only goal to win Argentina that game. You changed my life in a way you couldn’t imagine. I aspired to be like you, my whole life at one point WAS you. Football is nothing without you. You hold the helm of being the greatest this sport will ever see, and to this, I say thank you. Not just for your football, but because of how you changed my life. Now, watching you say goodbye to Argentina really does hurt. We knew this day would come eventually, but we never wanted it to. I grew up watching you play football alongside some of the greats, but none will ever come close to you. Seeing you win the World Cup in 2022 had me crying tears of joy. You are the greatest player of all time, and you have had one of the greatest international careers of all time. Thank you, Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccittini.
ArgentinaArgentina3 - 0Benin
GRACIAS POR TODO LEO MESSI
ArgentinaArgentina3 - 0Benin
Lionel Messi I owe you my entire fucking life. Fuck me the amount of alc that I've drank cos of this match will kill me but I'd prefer ts than actually accepting the fact I'll never see you play for us again. Yo like my kids were supposed to see you win for Argentina bruv what's that about 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 Don't think I'd be any bit who I am now if it weren't for you. Holy shit I can't believe I'm writing this on Bookd of all fuckin places but whatever mate nobody's gon read all this waffle anyway. Yo I already sound proper dramatic 😭😭😭😭😭😭 He tryna act like Messi Retirement don't hurt his heart 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 I’m Argentinian, raised in England, but Argentinian nonetheless. Growing up mixed was shit. Especially adding in a predominantly Black area, man was already the odd one out. I’m Afro-Latino. Dark hair, dark eyes, but people always knew there was something different about me. And being Argentinian weren’t something that made me particularly rated lmfao. Weren’t really fully Black, weren’t really fully Argentinian, not really anything. Fuckass kids would take the piss and little ol Kale would laugh it off, act like he couldn’t care less, but obviously when you’re a kid ya take that stuff in. Could chat as much shit back as I wanted, but I’d still be the kid who didn’t fit in and didn’t really have a place to fuckin fit 👌. I hated standing out prolly hated myself actually. But then, Messi 😭😭🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷😭😘😘😭👀😭👀🇦🇷👀👌🇦🇷 When Messi got bigger in ghetto fuckin Essex, Argentina got bigger. Ya mans wasn’t just some quiet bullied mixed bloke nobody knew what to make of. I was the Argentinian kid. Like Messi. Because I was Argentinian like Messi, I supported Argentina like Messi, I had a country to talk about like Messi and for the first time in my stupid chud fucking life being Argentinian wasn’t the thing that made me different. It made Kale.....Kale.....😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭Fml Damn this the most tarded shit I've ever written I'm done
ArgentinaArgentina3 - 0Benin
as the years passed ever since i got to know this superstar of a footballer, i knew a day like this would come eventually but i was never ready for it. now, that day has actually come, i definitely realized i never was actually ready for it. and here we are. where do i even begin? in the 2010s when i was still growing up, i never really had the chance of watching any matches of club football and my only real outlets where i could watch football were either the world cup, the free matches they showed or youtube. through all this, i developed my love for this magician and for me, he definitely is the greatest player of all time. in the 2014 world cup, i was rooting for germany and was very happy we won, yet my heart was broken to see him lose in the final. two years later, when he retired for the first time, i couldn't believe the headlines and they made me so sad. but i'm very, very glad he eventually decided to return because what developed after was the most beautiful era of his career yet. 2 copa americas, 1 finalissima and most importantly, the world cup in 2022, all won in the span of just 4 years which is really impressive. sadly, in 2026, we couldn't see him win his second world cup, yet the fact that he carried argentina so far to the final was already honestly enough. not many players can do that, especially at his age. as i sit here while writing this review and listening to messi's farewell words, i truly realize that this beautiful era of football is slowly ending and we will eventually see his full retirement soon in a few years and it breaks my heart. we will never see such a skillful, amazing player ever again. yet, we should appreciate what the future has to offer in this new era of football that is already emerging & with the new players that have superstar potential as well. so, with all this, gracias leo. you truly have influenced a new generation of footballers internationally and will permanently leave a beautiful mark on this sport.
ArgentinaArgentina3 - 0Benin
I know this isn’t your last game ever, I know you’ll walk into Miami’s facilities and conducts business as usual. But there will be a piece of you left at Estadio Monumental. That’s what I’m scared of, you’ve always put your country first and rightly so. I’m afraid that without that drive for your nation you’ll leave us sooner rather than later. It pains me knowing that you’re just 4 hours away and I can’t be there every game to see you. Currently on crutches re-learning how to walk for the second time this year has sadly has kept me from going to see you play live. But the same motivation you gave me that drove me to get back on the field so many times before will be the same to motivate me to make that 4 hour drive and see you play again. My first time ever seeing you play I genuinely cried. Seeing the idol I grew up watching the greatest of all time standing just a couple yards away from me. It was like I had an endless amount of adrenaline. Though it was cut short due to an injury I will never forget that day and I don’t regret it for one second. You’re officially halfway retired and rather than lay here and cry listening to your voice crack trying to keep it together I just want to smile. Smile and thank you for all the memories, for all the hope, and for every fucking second I was able to watch you play. I want to thank God himself for not only giving me life on this beautiful planet with all these beautiful people, but for also giving me life during the same time as you to have the chance to witness you play this beautiful game, for making me fall in love with this sport, making me a Barcelona fan, and making me your fan. Leo thank you for everything you’ve done for every single person. I will be seeing you soon I promise you that. Hasta Luego Leyenda. 🐐🤎
ArgentinaArgentina3 - 0Benin
as Lionel Messi’s international career comes to an end, let’s not forget the road he has built and left behind for newer generations to look up to - that legacy he has cemented, marking him of course, the GREATEST OF ALL TIME! GRACIAS MESSI! 🩵🤍🩵🤍 🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷
ArgentinaArgentina3 - 0Benin
وكتمْتُ آلام الحنين فأفصحَتْ عيني وأنطقها الفؤادُ بأدمعي الكلُّ يسمع في الوداع حنيننا لكنّ أصدقه الذي لم يُسمعِ ورجوتُ عيني أن تكفّ دموعها يومَ الوداعِ نشدتُها لاتدمعي أغمضتُها كي لاتفيضَ فأمطرت ايقنتُ أنّي لستُ أملك مدمَعي ورأيتُ حلماً أنني ودَّعْتُهم فبكيتُ مِن ألم الحنين وهُم معي مُرٌ عليَّ بأن أُودّعَ زائرًا كيفَ الذين حملتُهُم في أضلُعي ؟!
Argentina
Argentina3 - 0Benin
Trying to write this review for days has been hard but here we go. When I think of Leo Messi, I see more than just another football player. Because for me, he was never just a football player. He is one of those people who, without ever knowing you, somehow becomes part of your memories, your different phases of life, your family conversations, your victories, your defeats, and even the way you learned to love something. Messi taught me that football is more than just a sport. I saw him turn football into something else. He taught me how to love it, how to feel it. He taught to love the team that right now is the team of my whole heart, Barça. I saw him do things that looked impossible. I watched him lose, win, fall, get back up, and chase that World Cup that for so many years seemed impossible. But what a surprise life had waiting for him. Watching him lift that World Cup was more than just watching Messi win a trophy. It was seeing that little boy from Argentina, who had dreamed of playing for his country since he was young, finally give Argentina that third star after more than ten years of trying. And on a personal level, it felt like watching a family member finally achieve something they had been chasing for years. That’s why it hurts. Because it’s not only about watching him realize that it’s time to say goodbye. It’s about realizing that we’re growing up too. It hurts because we know that phases end. It hurts because eventually there will be a last game, a last time seeing him wear that shirt. But I also feel deeply thankful. Thankful for making me love this sport. Thankful for making me live through moments that I will always carry in my heart. Thankful for teaching me that losing doesn’t mean the story is over. Thankful for being there through so many different stages of my life without ever knowing how much he meant to me. + more in comments.
ArgentinaArgentina3 - 0Benin
i’m trying so hard to act like it don’t hurt my heart.
ArgentinaArgentina3 - 0Benin
i wish he was a fraud like ronaldo and would just pull a fake retirement announcement on us
ArgentinaArgentina3 - 0Benin
The first time I watched Lionel Messi play for Barcalona I was in 2014. I was around three or four at my cousins house while my mama and papa were out working. I remember being infatuated with him as a player. Everyone around me knew he was great but it was something I had to see. From than one I kept watching and watching him. Another first for me was watching him lose.. well not exactly first — I had an EMOTIONAL wc 2014 but I wasn’t exactly old enough to fully understand that. I think that 3-0 loss to Juve in the 16/17 showed me his first great loss to me. And obviously this isn’t an international game, but this had me sobbing. It’s like believing something would never break but than it ending up just as fragile as everything else is in life. This changed my feeling towards Messi for little me, it showed me to be happy and proud of him for playing so hard, but also sad for him when it isn’t exactly his time. This is also how I felt watching his 2018 wc loss. (Horrible year for little me with El Tri aswell!!!) Football is the most constant factor in my life. It’s been there for me through every up and down I’ve faced. Football brings my family together, football makes my dad happy, football cooled me down whenever I had fears about my livelihood. The biggest most constant thing in football for me is Lionel Messi. Messi raised what my idea of football was. Messi showed me what talent looked like. Messi showed me that poor Hispanic kids like us can do great things in our lives. He showed me many things that I don’t think most athletes can do. But there’s other constants in my life; family, friends, and sadder stuff obviously. But this lies into Messi as well. My papa is the biggest fanboy I know, i could bet that loves Messi more than 1/3 of this app I bet. Nothing made me happier growing up than watching Barca/Tigres with my family when ever we could. It’s the little things in life; such as sports, that makes people more connected with one another. (1/2)
ArgentinaArgentina3 - 0Benin
ArgentinaArgentina3 - 0Benin
nem parece verdade que nn vamos mais ver o maior de todos com a camiseta da seleção 😭 GRACIAS MESSI FOI UMA HONRA TE ASSISTIR
ArgentinaArgentina3 - 0Benin
Adios La Pulga
ArgentinaArgentina3 - 0Benin
Fuck i cant be nonchalant why is my screen blurry
ArgentinaArgentina3 - 0Benin
bye to the #greatestofalltime
ArgentinaArgentina3 - 0Benin
truly blessed to live at the same time as this super human! I had the best moments of my life watching him! there will never be another one like him! EVER! THANK YOU LEO 😭❤️❤️
Argentina3 - 0Benin
To the man that made me love this sport. To the man I have idolized since my first ever Barca game. Thank you for everything you have done for us and more importantly to the sport of football. I truly couldn’t imagine a day without watching you on my screen since I first watched you. Until it became a reality. I want to honor you and everything you have done to the world. You’ve provided me light in my darkest of days, you have shown me what determination, dedication and sheer will looks like in a person. No matter the size, no matter the disadvantages, the adversity. You’ve helped me see that it is possible to overcome it all. You showed not only the world, but showed yourself in that you can become the greatest of all lifetimes. You’ve been a great inspiration and a great part of my childhood. You’ve helped me grow and in a way feel like you’ve raised me with your love of football. It’s been an honor to see you play and watch you evolve throughout your career. You’ve helped inspire multiple generations to become great, to have sheer will, and have the capacity to overcome all adversity. Lionel Andres Messi, I want to thank you for everything you’ve accomplished and done for the entire world. May I wish you nothing but blessings and success in the rest of your career. Thank you, Lionel Andres Messi.
Argentina3 - 0Benin
When i was at my lowest, Messi brought me comfort. You were the rainbow after rain. Gracias Leo ❤️🇦🇷
ArgentinaArgentina3 - 0Benin
i’m not quite sure where to begin. i’m not a barcelona fan, im not argentinian yet i still felt a lump in my throat watching this match. it’s almost a strange alien feeling to care so much about a player you never saw play for your team but that just speaks to how far big his legacy is. before i knew any other players, i knew about messi, i didn’t watch him at his peak but i heard the stories. again another way to illustrate the impact that he’s had on this sport. he’ll forever live on not just in the minds of people who watched him live, watched him for their club or country, but everyone who ever watched him play the sport that we all love. a standing ovation for the greatest player of all time. 🩵🤍
Argentina3 - 0Benin
the greatest joys of our lives are often not appreciated until it’s all in the past. growing up in a south american football household, messi was always a name spoken within our conversations. whether in a positive or negative light, his name was always somewhere to be found. “did you see what messi did?” “i can’t believe that messi guy.” “i’ve always liked messi.” “i’ve always hated messi” no matter what it was, there was always an opinion. there was never one thing you could never deny though, his impact. without realizing it, i’ve seen the highs and lows with messi’s career with argentina. whether it was the sadness of 2014 and 2016 or the joy of 2022 and 2024. i was watching every game without realizing i was watching a one of a kind player grace the stage. today there is a stadium filled with thousands of people crying and shouting his name. but at one point in time, it was almost like the failures of that team grew thousands of people to hate the man. i could go on and on about his accomplishments that broke this and the crazy amount of records he’s broken but one thing i just want to highlight is his ability to make people believe. believe in your team. believe in your country. believe in yourself. despite all the odds life throws at you or the situations you are put in after it seems like the world tries to bring you down, you can truly make it. you can live your dreams and so so much more. this may be the end to his time in argentina but he will forever live in the history of the team. let this not be a sad ending but a celebration of all the good things that have happened. gracias leo. 🫶
ArgentinaArgentina3 - 0Benin
the little boy from rosario
ArgentinaArgentina3 - 0Benin
Y me siento solo con mi voz No descubro cómo sucedió Perder tu amor Todo lo que nunca más veré Cómo se me anuda el corazón ¿Cómo volver? Si tuviera la oportunidad En aquel minuto reparar De no caer Si quedaran rastros a seguir Una huella tenue de ese abril Perdiéndose En la sombra del ayer
Argentina