Julio Grondona's death sad day for football: Lionel Messi

Lionel messi with Julio Grondona

Buenos Aires, July 31 Argentine football star Lionel Messi Wednesday said the death of the longtime president of the Argentine Football Association (AFA), Julio Grondona, was "a sad day for football". He was 82.

"A sad day for football, for all Argentina and for me," Xinhua quoted Messi as stating in a Facebook postposted on his Facebook page. "The president of the AFA, Julio Grondona, has left us."

"I want to send my condolences and a very big hug to all his family members and friends," Messi added.

Grondona died earlier Wednesday in Buenos Aires after serving as the head of the AFA since 1979.