Real Madrid star admits ‘I was very emotional’ watching Lionel Messi’s international retirement speech
Real Madrid player Franco Mastantuono expressed deep emotion while watching Lionel Messi's international retirement speech. The 19-year-old midfielder cited Messi as his childhood idol.
Why it matters
This reflects the cultural impact of Lionel Messi on the next generation of professional football talent.
On-loan Real Madrid star Franco Mastantuono has provided an insight into the emotions with which he was forced to deal in the aftermath of Argentina's clash with Benin in the early hours of Wednesday.
Midfielder Mastantuono for his part featured off the bench in Buenos Aires, as Lionel Scaloni's troops sauntered to a 3-0 friendly triumph.
The real show, though, began after the full-time whistle… After two decades lining out in the colours of his country, Lionel Messi officially retired from the international game.
Also covering this story
17 other newsrooms covered this event. We read each version separately.
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