Lionel Messi Made Honorary Member of River Plate Ahead of Argentina Farewell Match

In the hours before his final appearance for the Argentina national team against Benin at the Estadio Monumental, Lionel Messi inscribed a personal message onto an Albiceleste jersey, writing, “Para la gente de River con mucho cariño, Leo,” according to the sources. The gesture served as the captain’s direct response to River Plate, which had named him an honorary club member moments prior to kickoff on October 7, 2026. The dedication, published by River Plate on their X account alongside a video of the ceremony, quickly became one of the most replicated posts of the day.

River Plate presents Messi with honorary membership

River Plate club president Stefano Di Carlo presented Messi with an honorary membership card, a commemorative plaque, and a club jersey featuring his name, an item the institution refers to as the Manto Sagrado. The membership card featured a specific numerical detail in place of a standard account number: “1812022,” commemorating December 18, 2022, the date Argentina won the World Cup in Qatar. The presentation took place during approximately 15 minutes that Messi spent sharing a relaxed moment in the presidential office with Di Carlo, accompanied by vice presidents Andrés Ballotta and Ignacio Villarroel, general secretary Agustín Forchieri, treasurer Guillermo Laje, sub-treasurer Federico Ferreyra, and museum president Rodrigo Daskal. The publication dedicated to the captain surpassed hundreds of thousands of likes on Instagram along with thousands of responses within a mere 30 minutes of going live.

Messi maintains strong record at River Plate venue

Messi’s relationship with River Plate carries historical roots from his youth, stemming from the period when he departed Newell’s Old Boys because his family could not afford his growth hormone deficiency treatment, leading to a trial at the Núñez club where he made a strong impression before heading to Barcelona. As an international player, Messi played 29 matches at River Plate’s home venue out of 54 total home matches for Argentina, accumulating 23 victories and six draws while scoring 20 goals, never leaving Núñez with a defeat.

Parallel Tributes from Newell’s Old Boys

While Buenos Aires hosted the farewell at the Monumental, Newell’s Old Boys issued a digital tribute from Rosario on a Tuesday, hours before the match scheduled for 20:00. The club published an image of Messi as a child wearing a red-and-black jersey alongside the captain facing away from the camera, accompanied by the message: “Leo, hiciste muy feliz al niño de Malvinas. Gracias 🇦🇷.”

University of Buenos Aires awards Messi honorary doctorate

Earlier on the day of the fixture, Messi received an honorary doctorate, the doctorado Honoris Causa, from the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) at the Ezeiza training facility. Reflecting on the distinction, the 39-year-old forward remarked that receiving the academic honor was a point of pride, noting that it was a very special and difficult day that he would attempt to enjoy while feeling calm yet increasingly overwhelmed as the match approached. The contest concluded in a 3-0 victory for Argentina, featuring goals from Nicolás Otamendi and Nicolás Paz alongside a goal and two assists from Messi, followed by an emotional post-match speech where the captain stated that his thoughts first turned to his father and expressed his pride in defending the shirt through the worst moments.