A fan got Messi's farewell letter to the Argentina National Team tattooed
A supporter of the Albiceleste had a fragment of the handwritten message with which the Inter Miami captain retired from the Scaloneta inked onto his skin.
Francisco Ladogana decided to turn one of the most recent moments of Lionel Messi's international career into a tattoo. The design reproduces, in Messi's own handwriting, part of the text that the Rosario native shared after the 2026 World Cup.
The Argentine fan and current head coach of Aguacatán showed the result on his social media along with a phrase that sums up the reason for the tattoo: " I wish I didn't have to say goodbye to you. Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened. Eternal thanks Lionel Andrés Messi. 07-21-2026" .
The tattoo that pays tribute to Messi's farewell
Francisco Ladogana decided to turn one of the most recent moments of Lionel Messi's international career into a tattoo, and in addition to the handwritten text, the design includes the date on which the footballer wrote the letter: July 21, 2026.
Messi explained in his Instagram message that he had made the decision on July 21, two days after the 2026 World Cup final, and noted that his father's death strengthened his resolve. “I gave everything, I have nothing left to give,” the captain wrote in one passage of his message.
The letter was published on three handwritten pages. In it, Messi thanked his family, teammates, coaches, executives, and fans for the more than 20 years he spent wearing the Argentina shirt. He also made it clear that, from now on, his relationship with the national team will be from a different place: “Now I’m going to be one more of you, always cheering and supporting from the outside”
The message from the captain of the Argentina National Team closed a chapter that officially began in 2005 and included titles such as the Copa América, the Finalissima, and the 2022 Qatar World Cup . His last appearance with Argentina came in the 2026 World Cup final against Spain.
Another phrase that also became a tattoo
Ladogana's case did not remain isolated. Other Messi followers decided to have different passages from the same letter tattooed on their skin. One of the most repeated phrases was "Thank God for making me Argentine," also reproduced in the captain's original handwriting.
In Rosario , the striker's hometown, a tattoo artist identified as "Blas" began turning the handwritten fragments by Messi into designs. To trace the strokes precisely, he used an iPad as a reference tool. The movement quickly spread on social media, where users shared photos of the different tattoos and more will surely keep appearing.
