After 21 years of service, which included many good moments as well as difficult ones, Lionel Messi wore the Argentine national team jersey for the last time in a celebratory friendly against Benin (3-0) at a packed Monumental Stadium.
Many teammates and opponents spoke about the 39-year-old legend, and one of them was Luka Modrić. The Croatian, who faced Messi both with his national team and with Real Madrid, paid tribute to the Argentine’s greatness, noting, among other things, that he struggled greatly against him on the field.
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“What can I say about him? It’s a shame he’s saying goodbye, but it’s his decision and we have to respect it. He’s done something incredible with the national team; he’s won the World Cup he wanted so badly. He’s one of the best players in the world, a one-of-a-kind player, and it was a joy to watch him play, even though I’ve suffered a lot against him, both with Croatia and with Madrid. I wish him good luck,” said Modrić, who was then asked about his own situation:
“I don’t know what to tell you about myself. I feel good and I still have passion and strength. I’ll keep playing as long as I feel good, game by game, and listening to my body. It could be two, three, six months, a year… I don’t want to give an answer and then regret it,” while he also commented on the speculation surrounding a possible return to Real Madrid once he hangs up his cleats:
“Obviously, I’d like that. Madrid is my home; it’s the club of my life. I’ve been there for 13 years. Let’s see what happens in the future. I’ve already said that I’d like to, of course, but I’d want to be useful and help in any way I can.”
*photo source: AP
