Buenos Aires, Aug. 31 -- Argentina stars Lautaro Martinez and Leandro Paredes expressed their gratitude to teammate Lionel Messi following his announcement to retire from international football on Monday, with both players reflecting on the impact the veteran forward had on their careers and the national team.

Messi brought down the curtain on one of the finest careers in international football, which witnessed records, heartbreaks, goals and redemption in equal parts. The 39-year-old announced his international retirement over one month after his side, Argentina's FIFA World Cup 2026 final loss to Spain by 1-0 and just days after the demise of his father, Jorge Messi. Messi's father died on August 8 in the central Argentine city of Rosa...