Fans Chant Lionel Messi's Name as Copa Argentina Match Halts in 10th Minute To Honour Former Argentina Captain
Argentina will pay a nationwide tribute to Lionel Messi this weekend, following his international retirement on September 1, 2026, after the 2026 FIFA World Cup final. All professional domestic football matches, including the River Plate vs. Independiente Rivadavia game, will pause in the 10th minute for applause.
A nationwide tribute to Lionel Messi got under way in emotional fashion during the Copa Argentina round-of-16 clash between Velez Sarsfield and Boca Juniors at the Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes in Cordoba, where play was officially halted in the 10th minute to honour the former Argentina captain following his retirement from international football. Did Lionel Messi Delete His Instagram Post Claiming 'GOAT Debate: Settled'? Fact Check Finds Claim False.
Stadium Erupts in Messi Messi Chants
MINUTO 10 Y PARTIDO DETENIDO PARA HOMENAJEAR A MESSI
Zunino detuvo el juego entre Boca y Vélez para ovacionar al Capitán, que anunció su retiro de la Selección Argentina. #CopaArgentinaEnTyCSports. pic.twitter.com/NawG4igUOe
— TyC Sports (@TyCSports) September 3, 2026
A Coordinated Pause in Play
With precisely 10 minutes on the clock, referee Sebastián Zunino blew his whistle to bring proceedings to a temporary standstill. The stoppage served as a coordinated salute to Messi’s iconic shirt number, prompting a spontaneous standing ovation across the ground as supporters from both sides joined together in prolonged chants of "Messi, Messi".
Players, technical staff, and match officials paused to join the minute of applause before play resumed via a drop ball. On the pitch, Boca Juniors eventually secured a 4-3 penalty shootout victory to advance to the quarter-finals after a goalless draw in regulation time. Lionel Messi Retirement: AFA Announces 10th-Minute Match Pause Across All Domestic Games to Honour Argentine Legend.
Part of Nationwide AFA Directive
The gesture in Córdoba marked the beginning of a broader campaign organised by the Argentine Football Association (AFA). The governing body confirmed that all domestic fixtures across men’s and women’s professional leagues, futsal, and beach soccer will pause during the 10th minute for a full 60 seconds of applause, accompanied by tribute videos displayed on stadium screens where available.
AFA officials stated that the initiative is intended to give supporters across the nation a shared opportunity to acknowledge Messi’s lasting influence on domestic and international football. Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo International Goals.
Context: An Unmatched International Career
The tribute follows Messi’s official announcement confirming his retirement from national team duty at the age of 39. The forward concluded his 21-year international career as Argentina's all-time leader in both appearances and goals, amassing 125 goals in 207 senior caps.
During his tenure as captain, Messi spearheaded the most successful era in modern Argentine football, capturing the 2021 and 2024 Copa América titles, the 2022 Finalissima, and the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 04, 2026 10:36 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
