Messi in Mourning After Painful Loss

Lionel Messi is facing a moment of deep mourning following the death of Omar Souto, the longtime General Manager of Argentina’s National Teams at the AFA and a crucial figure in helping the Argentine star wear the national jersey for the first time. At 73, Souto died on Sunday, causing widespread sadness across Argentine soccer and among those who worked with him for decades. The AFA confirmed his death, declared three days of mourning, and announced a minute of silence at every match of the round.

Lionel Messi in mourning after saying goodbye to the man who “opened the path”

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The captain of the Argentine National Team used his social media to dedicate an emotional message to Omar Souto.

In his post, Messi acknowledged that Souto was the first person within the AFA to notice him and reach out to his family when he was still a teenager with emerging talent.

“You were always there and were the person who opened the path for the AFA to take notice of me,” Messi wrote.

He also highlighted the human quality of Souto, whom he described as “an enormous human being, impossible to forget for all of us who had the privilege of being part of the National Team.”

Messi’s farewell message joined the many expressions of affection and recognition that flooded social media after news of Souto’s death became public.

For Lionel Messi,, Souto’s presence was tied not only to his arrival to the national team but also to his development within Argentina’s football structure and to a relationship built over many years.

AFA declares mourning and honors the legacy of “Papúa”

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The Argentine Football Association issued a statement confirming Souto’s death, declaring three days of mourning and ordering a minute of silence in all matches.

The gesture reflects the importance the executive held for more than three decades in Argentine football, serving in the National Teams department.

Affectionately known as “Papúa,” Omar Souto worked alongside numerous coaches and generations of players.

He began his career in youth divisions and rose to the position of General Manager of National Teams, a role in which he supported processes, tours, tournaments, and the transition of young talents into the senior team.

His most remembered contribution — brought back into the spotlight by Messi’s message — was his decisive role in securing Messi’s presence in the Argentine National Team in 2004, amid pressure from Spain to call him up.

The story behind the phone call that changed Lionel Messi’s career

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Omar Souto himself recounted in various interviews how the contact with the Messi family took place.

The task had been assigned to him by then-coach Hugo Tocalli, who wanted to ensure that young Lionel would not be called up by Spain.

Souto pieced together that iconic moment: finding a phone booth to call Rosario, locating Messi’s grandmother through the phone book, reaching the uncle, and finally contacting Jorge Messi in Spain.

There, according to Omar Souto, Jorge responded: “It’s Lionel — finally they called because my son wants to play for Argentina.”

That call led to the friendly match against Paraguay at the Argentinos Juniors stadium, where Messi officially debuted with Argentina, closing the door on any attempt from Spain.

Souto’s legacy is marked by that decisive gesture and by decades of quiet, dedicated work valued by generations of footballers.

Today, Lionel Messi remembers him with gratitude in one of the most heartfelt messages he has ever shared.