Argentinians thrill at Messi’s next chapter as football star moves to PSG

Issued on: 11/08/2021 – 02:20

In the streets of Buenos Aires, the news of Lionel Messi coming to Paris is everywhere. From TV news channels to taxi stands, everyone is talking about Argentina’s beloved son.

“After so many years in Barcelona, I thought he was going to retire there,” one fan tells FRANCE 24. “It was a tremendous surprise for me. But he’s going to join an elite club, the absolute dream team right now – he’s going to be invincible.”

For taxi drivers taking a break between rides, football is a frequent topic of conversation – and this week, it’s all about Messi.

“Whether he’s in Barcelona or in Paris, the important thing for us Argentinians is him, Messi,” says one cabbie, who used to play semi-professionally himself.

“We want him to keep on playing – any country, any club – as long as he keeps on,” says his colleague Hector, also an avid footballer.

Argentinians’ passion for football offers a release valve from their daily lives, Hector says.

“With this news, we can forget about politics, the economic crisis, the pandemic. That’s why we’re only talking about [Messi],” he says. “But we Argentinians are a little bit strange.”

Among younger Argentines, Messi is even more popular than Maradona. Coaching budding footballers at a park in the capital, a gym teacher tells FRANCE 24: “We feel everything with him. We were sad when we saw him cry. We are thrilled with him coming to Paris.”

“We are going to keep on lending him to the world, sure,” she adds. “So he can keep on shining. Because he’s ours, he’s Argentinian, of course.”