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Lionel Messi paid tribute to Pope Francis after his death at 88. Messi shared a heartfelt message and photo on Instagram, honoring the Pope’s impact.
Lionel Messi and Pope Francis. (Image: X)
Lionel Messi paid a heartfelt tribute to Pope Francis following his tragic death on Monday, April 21. The Argentine football legend penned a beautiful note for Pope Francis on his Instagram story after he breathed his last at the age of 88.
The Catholic leader had his roots in Argentina. He was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires in 1936, though his parents were Italian immigrants. In 2013, he became the first Latin American to be elected as the Pope. He remained at the helm of the Roman Catholic Church until his death while also serving as the sovereign of the Vatican City State.
After the news of his demise came to light, Messi shared a picture with Pope Francis, which was taken in 2013 ahead of an international friendly between Argentina and Italy in Rome. “A different Pope, close, Argentine…RIP, Pope Francis. Thank you for making the world a better place. We will miss you,” the Inter Miami star wrote on his Instagram story.
Leo Messi on IG: “A different Pope, close, Argentine…RIP Pope Francis. Thank you for making the world a better place. We will miss you.” 📲❤️ pic.twitter.com/k8SDuE7xle— All About Argentina 🛎🇦🇷 (@AlbicelesteTalk) April 21, 2025
Pope Francis was delighted after Lionel Messi led Argentina to their third FIFA World Cup title in 2022. After an intense 3-3 draw in the 90-minute play, the South American giants defeated France on penalties at a score of 4-2.
“I was meeting with five Alitalia pilots and their wives. They came to greet me, and we started chatting around 4 p.m. When I came back, they told me it was 3–2 or 3–1, I can’t remember. Later, I found out we won on penalties. That made me reflect on the Argentine psyche,” Pope Francis said back then.
“Maybe this doesn’t have a scientific basis, but I’ll say it anyway. We Argentines love a strong start, but sometimes we lack the consistency to finish the job. We were happy to win the first half and felt the match was already ours. But no, you have to fight until the very end. And we had to battle through penalties against both the Netherlands and France,” he explained further.
Messi had a key role in Argentina’s third World Cup triumph. He scored two goals in the final against France and also received the Golden Ball award for his impeccable performance throughout the tournament.
