Three years ago, after finally lifting the World Cup, Lionel Messi gave Argentinian players another reason to celebrate. Following Argentina’s dramatic victory over France in the 2022 final, Messi decided to thank his teammates in a memorable way by giving each of them a special golden gift.
It was his way of showing appreciation to the group that helped him achieve the one major trophy that had always been missing from his incredible career. After years of heartbreak on the international stage, Messi finally got his dream moment, and he made sure the players around him had something to remember it by as well.
The gift itself was far from small. Messi reportedly gave 35 players and staff members a gold-plated iPhone 14, each one customized with the Argentina national team logo along with the date of their World Cup triumph engraved on the back.
Will Lionel Messi Play for Argentina at the 2026 World Cup?
Lionel Messi may still be keeping everyone guessing about his World Cup plans, but Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni clearly believes there is a very good chance he will be there in 2026.
After Argentina’s win over Zambia, Scaloni spoke about Messi in a very positive way and suggested the veteran forward still has the motivation to keep going. Winning the World Cup in Qatar seems to have taken a huge weight off Messi’s shoulders, and Scaloni feels that has allowed him to enjoy football more than ever.
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Messi looked sharp again against Zambia and added another goal to his incredible career tally, which recently crossed the 900 mark. Only Cristiano Ronaldo has ever reached the same number, and Scaloni even joked that Messi could make a run at 1,000 if he decides to keep playing long enough.
There was also a nice moment involving Nicolas Otamendi during the match. When Argentina won a penalty, Messi stepped aside and let Otamendi take it, allowing the veteran defender to score in what could end up being one of his final matches in front of the home fans.
Otamendi has already said he plans to retire from international football after the World Cup, so the moment felt like a small gesture of appreciation from Messi toward one of his longest-serving teammates.
