Cristiano Romero, a player for the Argentine national team, believes that people will miss Messi more than they think.
Cristian Romero
Club: Atletico Madrid
Lionel Messi
Club: Inter Miami
Messi is preparing to play his final match in the Argentina jersey when he faces Benin in a friendly game.
Romero said in comments reported by TYC network: "The truth is that it felt strange not having Messi during this current international break. Of course, this was going to happen at some point, but I never imagined that his absence would affect us like this."
He continued, "Messi was always a leader through his actions and never put himself above anyone else. He chose me as the captain of the national team, and for me, this is a huge responsibility. The fact that he took this step alongside the coach is, of course, a beautiful thing. Certainly, I learned a lot from him during the 6 or 7 years we spent together."
He added, "The truth is that I loved him, then I was lucky enough to join the national team and start sharing many things with him. We built a very beautiful friendship thanks to football, and this situation is difficult for me."
He concluded, "My way of expressing love is somewhat clumsy and rough, but I told him that I feel deep regret because I didn't show him all the love I always held for him. This is the thing I will regret. People will miss him much more than they believe."
Messi announced his retirement from international football after participating with Argentina in the 2026 World Cup.
