BUENOS AIRES: All matches in Argentina this weekend will be paused in the 10th minute for a 60-second round of applause to honour Lionel Messi.

The tribute ​follows Messi announcing his retirement from the national team on Monday. Messi, 39, ‌has worn the No. 10 jersey most often while representing Argentina.

The Argentinian football federation, in a statement, said: “For the upcoming matchday across all men’s and women’s divisions and disciplines, matches will be paused in the 10th minute of the first half for a minute ​of applause in recognition of Lionel Messi’s career with the Argentina national team.

“Furthermore, stadiums equipped with screens must broadcast the Association’s institutional ⁠video prior to the start of the matches.”

The Inter Miami star led Argentina to a runner-up ​finish in this summer’s World Cup. In eight matches, he had eight goals to bring his ​final tally to 125 career international goals (21 in World Cups).

“After the time that passed since the final, thinking about it a lot, I want to communicate to everyone that I am retiring from the national team,” Messi ​wrote Monday on Instagram. “It was a decision that hurt and hurts in a soul, but I ​understand that this is the moment. I swear to you that I always gave everything, not just in ‌the ⁠last few years when we won everything but before as well and I always fought and left everything on the field for this shirt, to give you all joys and make you feel proud to be Argentinians through football.”

This is a second retirement for Messi, who originally quit ​after a 2016 Copa ⁠America final loss to Chile. But he opted to return and led Argentina to World Cup triumph in 2022 and Copa America success ​in 2021 and 2024.

Messi did not indicate whether this could also be ​his final ⁠season in Major League Soccer.

###