Have you ever wrote a love letter to your idol? Young Enzo did
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Reading Time: 4min | Thu. 16.07.26. | 21:00
Ten years ago, a 15-year-old Enzo Fernandez poured his heart out in an open letter to Lionel Messi. On Sunday, they'll chase another World Cup as teammates
It was 2016, and Lionel Messi had already conquered world football.
He had won four UEFA Champions League titles, lifted eight La Liga trophies, collected countless domestic cups and claimed five Ballons d'Or. He had carried Argentina to the 2014 FIFA World Cup final and then to back-to-back Copa America finals.
Yet one thing was still missing - a major international trophy.
Back home, where he had left as a teenager to pursue his dream in Spain, many still refused to place him alongside Diego Maradona. The criticism never stopped. Whenever Argentina fell short, the blame landed squarely on Messi's shoulders. The familiar accusation echoed louder than ever: he wasn't the same player for his country as he was for Barcelona.
There were no excuses after the heartbreaking defeat to Chile in the Copa America Centenario final. Argentina lost on penalties, Messi missed the opening spot-kick, and the weight of years of criticism finally became too much.
"I'm done with the national team. I've tried so hard, but it just doesn't work for me," a devastated Messi announced.
His words shook Argentina. The entire nation pleaded with him to reconsider. Politicians, former footballers, journalists and fans all begged him to stay. Among them was a 15-year-old boy nobody had ever heard of. Just another talented youngster dreaming of becoming a professional footballer.
Ten years later, that same teenager scored the goal that broke England's resistance and sent Argentina into another World Cup final - after being set up by none other than Messi himself.
That boy was Enzo Fernandez.
Long before sharing a dressing room with his childhood hero, Fernandez had written an emotional public message begging Messi not to abandon Argentina.
"How can we convince you to stay when we've been so awful? How can we ask you to keep going when we've never carried even one percent of the pressure you live with every single day?
"You wake up every morning knowing more than 40 million people expect perfection from you and wrongly believe they have the right to demand it.
"How can we ask you to stay when we forget that you're a human being? You're the best footballer on the planet, but you're still a person. You're not responsible for the anger we feel after defeats. That anger comes from our own frustrations."
The anonymous teenager was heartbroken that his country could treat its greatest footballer so harshly.
"Let's look at ourselves in the mirror and ask whether we demand even one percent from ourselves of what we demand from someone we've never even met.
"You could be relaxing on a beach, yet you choose to represent our country while people only ask whether you run enough or whether you sing the national anthem loudly enough."
Fernandez ended his message with words that, a decade later, feel almost prophetic.
"Do whatever you think is right, Lionel, but please think about staying. Stay because football should still be fun. That's what these people have taken away from you. As a child, I'm sure you dreamed of playing for Argentina and enjoying every moment of it.
"When I watch you wear our shirt, I feel the greatest pride in the world. Play because you love it. You have no idea how much joy you give us when you're enjoying yourself.
"Thank you... and I'm sorry."
Messi almost certainly never saw the message. It was one of thousands posted during those emotional days. But football has a remarkable way of rewarding faith.
The Inter Miami forward eventually reversed his retirement decision. Fernandez grew into one of the world's finest midfielders and earned the chance to play alongside the man he had once begged to stay.
Together, they have already won the FIFA World Cup and two Copa America titles.
On Sunday, they will have the chance to add another golden globe to their remarkable story when Argentina face Spain in the 2026 World Cup final.
WORLD CUP - KNOCKOUT STAGE
Sunday
Third-place match
00.00: (2.00) France (3.75) England (3.60)
Final
22.00: (2.35) Spain (3.00) Argentina (3.60)
***odds are subject to change***