Lionel Messi’s message resonated inside Buenos Aires Cathedral on Thursday, where Archbishop Jorge García Cuerva quoted the Argentina captain during a Mass commemorating the nation’s Independence Day. The ceremony took place as the national team prepares for a World Cup quarter-final against Switzerland.
García Cuerva drew on Messi’s words that followed Argentina’s 2022 World Cup success in Qatar, presenting them as a reminder of the importance of unity. The religious service was also attended by President Javier Milei.
“Let us keep our shirts on, and with passion, let us bring to life the message that Lionel Messi once posted on his social media,” García Cuerva said during the Mass before reading the statement written by the star forward four years earlier.
“When we Argentines fight together and stand united, we are capable of achieving whatever we set our minds to,” Messi said.
The quotation came just two days after Argentina delivered a dramatic 3-2 comeback win over Egypt, overturning a 2-0 deficit to secure a place in the quarter-finals stage. That result moved the team into the last eight of the competition, with the tournament currently taking place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Messi, 39, is featuring in his sixth straight World Cup and has found the net in each of Argentina’s five matches. He leads the tournament scoring race with eight goals.
