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Barcelona icon Rivaldo shared a special message for superstar forward Lionel Messi ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup final. The Brazilian lavished praise on the Argentine maestro, claiming that he 'deserves' the title for his 'wonderful' style of play.
Ahead of the showpiece tournament, many predicted that it would be Messi's last ever World Cup and questioned if he could inspire his nation to the title. He had turned 35 in June 2022, and the prime of his dominant career was supposedly nearing its end.
However, the diminutive forward laid all the doubts to rest, delivering what is widely considered to be one of the most dominant individual World Cup campaigns. He led from the front, racking up seven goals and three assists in seven games as Argentina lifted the coveted trophy after a 36-year wait.
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In a Golden Ball-winning run, Messi scored in every knockout round and went one step further in the final by netting a brace against France. Following a 3-3 deadlock after 120 minutes, he also scored from the spot as La Albiceleste won 4-2 on penalties.
Ahead of that iconic final, Rivaldo predicted that his South American counterpart would finally lay his hands on the trophy that eluded him eight years earlier (1-0 loss to Germany in the 2014 World Cup final). In a post on social media, he wrote (via Bola VIP):
"You deserved to be World Champion before, but God knows all things and will crown you this Sunday. You deserve this title for the person you are and for the wonderful soccer you've always played. I take my hat off to you. May God bless you."
Although he will turn 39 years old at the tournament, Messi is likely to captain Argentina at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Lionel Messi's farewell match for Barcelona in jeopardy due to cold relationship with administration - Reports
Argentine superstar Lionel Messi's farewell match for Spanish giants Barcelona is in jeopardy due to his frosty relationship with president Joan Laporta, as per reports.
On Friday (July 11), reports emerged that the inauguration of Barca's renovated Camp Nou would also be used to give a tribute to the 38-year-old maestro. The legendary forward and his camp had reportedly given their nod to a tribute match during the re-opening of the stadium, which is likely to occur in the summer of 2026.
According to new reports from MARCA (via Barca Universal), however, Messi and his entourage have not been contacted about any potential plans of a farewell match. While Barcelona are still intent on honouring the legacy of arguably the greatest player in their history, negotiations have not yet taken place with the player himself.
In fact, since his sorrow-filled departure from Barcelona on a free transfer in 2021, Messi has reportedly not been in contact with president Laporta. The subsequent failed attempts to bring him back to the club and his snub at Barcelona's 125th anniversary celebrations (in November 2024) formed further cracks in an already messy relationship.
Therefore, as it stands, there has been no concrete progress in establishing a date for the Argentine icon's farewell match at Barcelona.
