Marca: An Argentine fan tattooed excerpts from Messi's farewell letter to the national team on his body.

According to Marca, an Argentine fan has tattooed excerpts of Messi's handwritten farewell letter to the national team on his body.

Francisco Radogana has created a tattoo depicting a moment from the final stage of Lionel Messi's national team career. The design replicates Messi's handwriting, and the content is taken from a post the Rosario native made after the 2026 World Cup.

This Argentine fan is now the manager of Aguacata. He posted a picture of his tattoo on social media and wrote: "I hope I don't have to say goodbye to you. Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened. Thank you forever, Lionel Andrés Messi. 07-21-2026."

In addition to the handwritten text, the tattoo also includes the date Messi wrote the letter: July 21, 2026.

In a social media post, Messi explained that he made the decision on July 21, two days after the 2026 World Cup final, and said that his father's passing made him even more determined. Messi wrote: "I have given everything, and there is nothing more I can give."

The letter, a three-page handwritten draft, expresses Messi's gratitude to his family, teammates, coaches, management, and fans for their support over the past 20 years while he has worn the Argentine national team jersey. He also writes, "From now on, I will be one of you, always cheering and supporting you from the sidelines."

Messi's career with the Argentine national team began in 2005, during which he won titles such as the Copa America, the UEFA Europa League, and the 2022 Qatar World Cup. His last appearance for Argentina was in the 2026 World Cup final against Spain.

Radogana is not an isolated case; other Messi fans have also tattooed different passages from the letter on their bodies. One of the more common phrases is "Thank God I am Argentinian," also in Messi's handwriting.

In Messi's hometown of Rosario, a tattoo artist known as "Blas" began creating tattoo designs based on Messi's handwriting. He used an iPad as a reference to accurately trace the strokes. The trend quickly spread on social media, with many users sharing photos of their various tattoos.