Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], September 3 (ANI): Former India cricketer Sourav Ganguly praised Lionel Messi’s illustrious international career following his retirement announcement, saying the Argentine great has left a legacy that will be difficult to match.
Ganguly also expressed hope that great footballing nations like Argentina will produce another world-class player in the future.
Messi announced his retirement from international football on August 31, at the age of 39.
Speaking to reporters, Ganguly said Lionel Messi’s retirement is an inevitable part of sport, praising his remarkable career and legacy.
“This is what sport is all about. The best have to retire someday. He's been absolutely brilliant over a long period of time. But that's inevitable in sport. The best has to go. He's left a legacy which will be very hard to match. I've seen Maradona play, another left-footer from Argentina, and Messi from Argentina as well. These legacies are very hard to maintain. But these are such great sporting nations… football nations—Argentina, Brazil, England, Germany, Spain. They are such great sporting nations that they keep producing world-class players every time. Hopefully, there will be another one coming soon,” Ganguly said.
Notably, the Argentine icon is his country's most-capped player and highest goal scorer, with 203 appearances and 124 goals. He is also the highest goal-scorer in South American football history.
In 2022, after years of heartbreaks, particularly the 2014 FIFA World Cup final loss to Germany, Messi tasted FIFA World Cup glory, beating Kylian Mbappe-led France in the final. It was his country's first WC in 36 years and their third overall, as per ESPN.
Before that, Messi had also played a massive role in ending Argentina's 28-year title drought, securing the Copa America title in 2021 and winning it back-to-back after World Cup glory in the 2024 edition.
Messi had previously announced his international retirement back in 2016 after Argentina lost to Chile in the Copa America final that year but reversed his retirement, leading his nation to World Cup glory six years later in Qatar.
Messi scored two goals in the title clash and also converted a penalty, winning the match 4-2 for his side after the match ended in a 3-3 draw at regulation time.
The legendary footballer appeared in six FIFA World Cups from 2006 to 2026, scoring 21 goals in 34 matches. He is the second-highest goal-scorer in the tournament's history, with France's Mbappe holding the record with 22 goals.
In this year's World Cup, Messi had eight goals to his name and four assists, making him one of the standout performers in the tournament. This also included his maiden FIFA WC hat-trick against Algeria. He had overtaken Germany legend Miroslav Klose's record of most FIFA World Cup goals before Mbappe snatched the top spot from him.
Messi will, however, continue playing for his club, Inter Miami, in Major League Soccer (MLS). (ANI)
"Best have to retire someday": Sourav Ganguly praises Messi's legacy after international football retirement
