Among the tributes pouring in, the Golden State Warriors found a way to honor the Argentine’s final chapter wi

Among the tributes pouring in, the Golden State Warriors found a way to honor the Argentine’s final chapter with one of their own icons, Stephen Curry. The Warriors shared a familiar image of Messi smiling while holding Curry’s signed No. 30 jersey.

It dates back to the memorable exchange between Lionel Messi and Stephen Curry that began in 2015. After the former Barcelona star reached 30 million Instagram followers, Curry sent him a signed Warriors jersey.

Messi responded by promising to return the favor once Curry reached 10 million followers and eventually followed through on that promise. The 39-year-old announced his decision following Argentina’s 2026 World Cup final loss to Spain.

He leaves the national team after helping Argentina win the 2021 Copa America, the 2022 World Cup, and the 2024 Copa America. He will continue his club career with Inter Miami, meaning this is not necessarily the end of Lionel Messi on a soccer field.

The Argentine previously credited the 4x NBA champion alongside LeBron James as one of the current greats of basketball. Right after Argentina won the 2022 World Cup, James simply posted “MESSI.” The new 76ers star even attended Messi’s debut game with Inter Miami back in 2023.

The viewpoint matters because Lionel Messi was truly the backbone of Argentina, even at the age of 39. After the 2018 World Cup, many soccer analysts predicted that he would not return to the national team.

But he never retired and led his team to victory at the 2022 World Cup. The same narrative played out before the start of the 2026 World Cup, but again, Lionel Messi was instrumental in leading his team to another Final, as Argentina lost to Spain.