Juan Roman Riquelme Hails Lionel Messi After World Cup Final Loss, Says 'He Can Do Everything'
Juan Roman Riquelme has paid tribute to Lionel Messi following Argentina's World Cup final defeat to Spain. The Boca Juniors president praised Messi's football intelligence, evolution over two decades, loyalty to Argentina and reflected on the reasons behind the final loss.
July 25, 2026: Lionel Messi is still coming to terms with Argentina's World Cup final defeat to Spain. After the match, the Argentine captain admitted that the pain of the loss would take time to heal.
Even in the middle of that disappointment, Argentina legend Juan Román Riquelme has nothing but admiration for Messi. According to the former playmaker, the football world should simply appreciate what the 38-year-old has been doing for the past two decades.
Speaking to Argentine newspaper Olé, Riquelme said, "It is impossible not to enjoy watching Messi play. He plays football differently from everyone else. While walking on the pitch, he is always observing everything around him. When we get nervous in the stands or while watching on television, he stays calm. He thinks about where to move, what to do next, and imagines situations that no one else can see. Messi gives incredible football gifts."
Riquelme believes what makes Messi truly special is the way he has continued to improve every stage of his career.
Juan Roman Riquelme has hailed Lionel Messi following Argentina's run to the 2026 World Cup final, even suggesting the captain may have surpassed Diego Maradona 🐐🇦🇷
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— Football (@ballsupnews) July 25, 2026
Messi's Evolution Continues to Impress
One of Argentina's greatest-ever playmakers, Riquelme praised Messi for constantly adding new qualities to his game.
"When Messi was young, he was incredibly fast. People used to say he ran faster than the ball. The ball stayed glued to his feet. As time passed, he added more to his game. He became an outstanding passer. He started scoring from free-kicks. The truth is, he can do everything," Riquelme said.
For Riquelme, nothing Messi achieves on the pitch comes as a surprise anymore after maintaining such a high level for more than 20 years.
The Boca Juniors president also highlighted one of the most important decisions of Messi's career. Despite being eligible to represent Spain at youth level, Messi chose to play for Argentina.
"All we can do is thank him. As Argentines, we are incredibly lucky. He chose to represent our country instead of Spain," Riquelme added.
Riquelme also shared his thoughts on Argentina's defeat in the World Cup final. In his view, physical fatigue played a bigger role than tactics.
"Argentina reached the final exhausted. They had very little time to recover. If they had been given a little more rest, the story of the match might have been different. Both of our centre-backs were carrying injuries. The players gave everything they had, and we can only thank them," he said.
At the same time, Riquelme made it clear that Spain fully deserved their victory.
"Spain played extraordinary football. They always knew what to do on the pitch. They won the World Cup as completely deserving champions. There is no doubt about that," he concluded.
