Lionel Messi’s international career may be over, but the reaction to his farewell has reached far beyond soccer. 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.
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The Warriors shared a familiar image of Messi smiling while holding Curry’s signed No. 30 jersey. Their caption was short and fitting: “Game recognize game.” It’s not a recent photograph but still carries more history.
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.
Messi sent him a signed Argentina jersey with a message that read, “With much love for Curry.” Now years later, the Warriors have shared that memory as Messi closes the door on his Argentina career.
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 post from the Warriors signifies the admiration between Messi and Curry. The Argentine previously credited the 4x NBA champion alongside LeBron James as one of the current greats of basketball.
“When it comes to other sports, I think the same thing happened with (Michael) Jordan (comparing to how Diego Maradona transcended sport)…. To name a few (GOATs) from basketball, LeBron (James), Steph (Curry), the best. The players that I admire a lot and I think they gave a lot to the sport, each in their own way,” said Messi.
LeBron James has also been among the NBA stars to celebrate Messi’s career. 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 two even shared a hug, and LeBron James has constantly called the Argentine “the GOAT of soccer.” Curry and James are not alone in the NBA when it comes to appreciating Lionel Messi.
Luka Doncic has also been particularly enthusiastic about the Argentine. In an old interview, the Lakers star was asked about Messi and did not hesitate to answer:
“He’s amazing, truly amazing,” Doncic said. “He’s probably the greatest player in history, and I really enjoy watching him a lot. I watched all of Argentina’s World Cup matches, he’s an incredible talent.”
Despite having ties to Barcelona’s rival, Real Madrid, Doncic did not stop admiring Lionel Messi. Another European prospect-turned-NBA superstar, Giannis Antetokounmpo, offered a different perspective on Lionel Messi’s career.
During his introduction as a Miami Heat player, Antetokounmpo pointed to Lionel Messi alongside some of the biggest names in sports.
“Messi might go down as one of the best athletes of all time,” Giannis said. “So he’s out there, with other athletes, Michael Jordan, Serena Williams, Djokovic, Michael Phelps. At the end of the day, when you see that, you definitely get inspired to take care of your body, to keep on doing that thing for your team.”
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.
Lionel Messi closed his Argentina chapter; still, the respect from basketball’s biggest stars won’t change.