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.