"How are we going to convince you? - Argentina star Enzo Fernández's emotional message after Lionel Messi's retirement in 2016 resurfaces
Lionel Messi scored the vital opener in Argentina's tough 2-0 win over Mexico in the FIFA World Cup, and he notably celebrated his goal with his teammates, including Enzo Fernandez.
The 21-year-old Benfica midfielder also scored the second goal of the game after receiving an assist from Messi.
Enzo Fernandez on Facebook in 2016, after Messi annouced his retirement from Argentina NT.
Read fully, it’s beautiful words .
6 years later Enzo played his first WC with Messi.
Football is beautiful 🥹🖤 https://t.co/Zapuvt0FMa
Fernandez's impressive efforts for the Albiceleste in Qatar have not gone unnoticed, and an old message from him to Messi has resurfaced.
Notably, Lionel Messi made the decision to retire in 2016, following Argentina's continual losses in the tournament finals.
Enzo Fernandez reached out with a heartfelt message to the forward, hoping to convince him to return to the Albiceleste, saying:
"How are we going to convince you? If we are disastrous. How are we going to convince you? We never had 1% of the pressure that you have on your shoulders. You wake up in the morning, you look in the mirror and you know that a crowd of over 40 million people wants you to do the perfect thing and it has been ridiculously imposed that they can demand it."
🗣️ Leo Messi: “I'm not surprised by Enzo, I know him and I see him train every day. He deserves it, because he's a spectacular player.” 🇦🇷 https://t.co/xK1QNk10B8
The youngster, who was 15 years old at the time, did not relent in his questions to Lionel Messi:
"How are we going to convince you? If we fail to understand that you are a human being, a person with incomparable talent, the best player on the planet, but a person after all."
He further added:
"How are we going to convince you? If we don't stop for a moment to realize that you are not responsible for the anger that losing causes us, which often has more to do with our own frustrations that are reflected there. Let's look in the mirror and ask ourselves if we demand from ourselves 1% of what we demand from this guy we don't even know."
Enzo Fernandez also pleaded with Lionel Messi to return to international football for "fun"
The then-teenager finished his statement by asking Lionel Messi to remain with the national team and have fun:
"Do what you want, Lionel, but please think about staying. Stay and have fun... in a world of ridiculous pressures, they manage to get the most noble thing out of the game, the fun."
He further wrote:
"Seeing you play with the light blue and white is the greatest pride in the world. Play for fun, because when you're having fun, you have no idea how much fun you're making us. Thank you and forgive us."
The Argentine playmaker eventually returned to international duty two months after his retirement.