José Mourinho spoke highly of Lionel Messi following the Argentine superstar’s decision to retire from his country’s national team.
The Real Madrid coach was asked to comment on Messi’s departure from the “Albiceleste” and made no secret of the immense respect he has for one of the greatest soccer players of all time.
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“It’s hard to talk about Messi. There are no words for Leo,” the Portuguese coach said initially, acknowledging in his own way the mark the Argentine has left on world soccer.
Mourinho also noted that Messi’s career is now entering its final stretch, stressing that he is one of those players whose absence will be keenly felt when he decides to retire for good.
“He’s one of those players you’ll miss. We’ll have to watch MLS games to enjoy his final years, even if I don’t like them,” he added pointedly.
The two were rivals in Spain for years, back when Mourinho was managing Real Madrid and Messi was the undisputed leader of Barcelona. Their “battles” in El Clásico defined an entire era of Spanish soccer.
Despite the intense rivalry of those years, Mourinho never hid his admiration for Messi’s soccer skills, and this time he was quick to praise the Argentine, essentially acknowledging that soccer will be different once he decides to bring his illustrious career to a definitive end.
*photo source: KYPE
