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Farewell, Lionel Messi: Gracias Por Todo
A personal farewell to Lionel Messi, reflecting on two decades of magic, inspiration and unforgettable memories. More than the trophies and goals, this is a thank you to the man who taught me to believe in dreams and never stop chasing them.
EMOTIONAL HEALTH
DEEPUNGSU PANDIT
10/7/20261 min read
Gracias Por Todo.
The words have piled up on my social media timeline today. “Thank you for Everything”
The whole world appears to have come together to pay tribute to Lionel Messi after his final appearance for Argentina. World Cup, Copa America and Finalissima winner. Olympic Gold medalist. Champions League winner, LaLiga, Ligue 1 and MLS conqueror.
Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner.
The list is endless.
Thank you for everything. So what do I thank him for? What does everything imply? The trophies? The goals? Perhaps the assists?
Maybe the millions of moments where you took my breath away? The times where everything looked lost but you refused to give up?
It is hard to define what I could thank Lionel Messi for. There are too many. For the past 20 years, La Pulga has been an integral part of my life. Not just a footballer who multiplied my love for the beautiful game. But perhaps an idol on and off the pitch. A saviour of our football dreams.
Whenever life is tough, I remember how impossible the last five years have been. How impossible the 2022 FIFA World Cup was. Yet we came out on top because one man refused to give up. One man was all it took for a team to believe they could do the impossible.
A man who believed in his dreams, who believed in himself. The one who followed his heart and found success in the thing that he loved the most. Someone so brilliant that I was compelled to name my favourite person in the world after him.
Perhaps that is what I should thank Lionel Messi for. Thank you, Leo, for simply playing football. For loving football with all your heart and giving your all for your dreams. Thank you for teaching us that this is the secret to success.
Today, the world seems a little empty, but you have etched a place in my heart that shall never be replaced. Farewell, Leo.
Gracias Por Todo.
Image courtesy - adidas football