Lionel Messi posted a heartfelt message to close friend and retiring striker Sergio Aguero after the Manchester City legend was forced to call time on a glittering career.
The iconic forward said he would ‘leave with my head held high’ after an emotional press conference at the Camp Nou.
Messi who played with Aguero for Argentina and won the 2021 Copa America alongside him gave his thoughts on social media platform Instagram.
“Practically a whole career together, Kun,” The PSG forward said.
“We lived very beautiful moments, and others that were not so – all of them made us unite more and more and be more friends, and we are going to continue living them together outside the field.
“With the great joy of lifting the Copa America so little ago, with all the achievements you achieved in England. The truth is that now it hurts a lot to see how you have to stop doing what you like the most because of what happened to you.
“Surely you will continue to be happy because you are a person who transmits happiness and those of us who love you will be with you. Now a new stage of your life begins and I am convinced that you are going to live it with a smile and with all the illusion that you put into everything.
“All the best in this new stage! I love you a lot friend, I’m going to miss being with you on the pitch a lot and when we get together with the national team!”