"One of the great references of football" - Lionel Messi pays heartfelt tribute to Cesar Luis Menotti as legendary ex-Barcelona manager dies aged 85
Lionel Messi has paid tribute to former Barcelona and Argentina manager Cesar Luis Menotti following his death at the age of 85.
Argentina Football Association announced Menotti's death on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, May 5.
“The Argentine Football Association regrets to announce with great sadness the death of Cesar Luis Menotti, current director of the national teams and former World Cup-winning coach of Argentina. Farewell, Flaco querido,” the post read.
Following the announcement, Lionel Messi took to Instagram to pay his tributes to Cesar Luis Menotti. He shared a photo of himself with the legendary coach alongside a caption in Spanish.
"One of the great references of our football has left us. Condolences to his family and loved ones. RIP," Lionel Messi said (translated from Spanish via GOAL).
Cesar Luis Menotti has managed multiple clubs across Argentina and Europe in his illustrious career, including the Argentina national team, Newell's Old Boys, Boca Juniors, River Plate, Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid.
He is best known for leading the Argentina national team between 1974 and 1982. He led the side to their first World Cup trophy in 1978.
Who is Cesar Luis Menotti? All about the legend who managed three of Lionel Messi's former clubs
Cesar Luis Menotti, popularly known as El Flaco, is one of the most significant figures in the history of Argentine football.
During his playing career, Menotti usually played as a striker and has played for multiple clubs including Rosario Central, Boca Juniors, and Santos.
While at Santos in 1968, Menotti was a teammate of Brazilian legend Pele. The Argentine talisman retired from professional football in 1970.
Menotti began his managerial coach in one of Lionel Messi's former clubs, Newell's Old Boys. He worked as an assistant coach to Miguel 'Gitano' Juarez. In 1974, he was appointed the head coach of the Argentina national team.
Menotti led the Argentina side to their first FIFA World Cup title in 1978 on home soil, where La Albiceleste defeated Netherlands 3-1 in the final with Mario Kempes as the star player.
He also led the Argentina U-20 national team to victory in the World Young Championship, with the legendary Diego Maradona as his primary asset. At 16, Maradona would go on to debut under Menotti's leadership in the Argentina senior team in 1977.
In the 1982 World Cup, Diego played under Menotti's leadership, before the coach joined Barcelona as the head coach in 1983. He managed Lionel Messi's former club for only one season, leading them to win the Copa del Rey, the Copa de la Liga, and the Supercopa de España. Diego Maradona played under his leadership in the Catalan club as well.
Menotti was appointed as a director of the Argentina national team in 2019 and oversaw their victory in the 2021 Copa America and the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.