Campaign to Collect One Million Signatures to Keep Messi Until the 2030 World Cup

Bolivian football legend Marco Antonio Echiverri issued a compelling appeal urging Argentine star Lionel Messi to continue his international career and not announce his retirement, proposing a global campaign to collect one million signatures to persuade him to participate in the 2030 World Cup. Echiverri, who represented Bolivia at the 1994 World Cup, made these remarks during a radio interview with the program “Super Deportivo Radio,” which was quickly picked up by numerous international media outlets. He emphasized his desire to see Messi present at the next edition of the tournament, stressing that world football still needs the Argentine national team captain.

The former Bolivian star praised Messi’s performance in his recent international appearances, noting that what he delivered at age 39 exceeded all expectations, and even argued that he was the best among all the World Cup editions in which the Argentine captain had participated. Echiverri affirmed that Messi remains at the pinnacle of individual players, pointing out that his influence on the pitch and his ability to make a difference have not diminished despite his long career.

He proposed launching a broad-based popular campaign involving countries worldwide, aimed at collecting one million signatures to urge Messi to continue with the Argentine national team and not retire from international football, stressing that his absence would represent a major loss for world football. He added that fans still wish to see Messi wearing his country’s jersey at the 2030 World Cup, expressing his belief that the Argentine star has not yet made a final decision regarding his international retirement.

Echiverri also commented on Argentina’s national team performance, commending the fighting spirit displayed by the players under the leadership of coach Lionel Scaloni, despite the pressures and fatigue the team faced in major matches. He affirmed that the Argentine national team possesses a champion’s mentality, with its players always striving for victories, which explains their continued competitiveness at the highest levels.