Argentine league to pause games to honour Messi

What the report says

The Argentine football league is set to pause all domestic matches this weekend in the 10th minute, with referees stopping play for a minute of applause to recognise Lionel Messi’s international career. The tribute was announced by the Argentine Football Association and is intended as a public farewell to the 39-year-old forward after he said on Monday that he was retiring from the national team.

BBC Sport reports that Messi wore Argentina’s number 10 shirt, captained the country to World Cup success in Qatar in 2022, and most recently played his final international in the 2026 World Cup final defeat by Spain in July. He remains Argentina’s record appearance holder with 207 caps and has scored 125 goals for the national side. His international record also includes two Copa America titles and a long list of appearances across major tournaments.

The move highlights Messi’s significance in Argentine football and reflects his status as one of the sport’s most decorated players. More generally, tributes of this kind are sometimes used by leagues and federations to mark major retirements or milestones, but the specific plan here was limited to the 10th-minute stoppage across league matches this weekend. Messi is expected to continue his club career with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.