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.