Argentina has lost a very special figure within the Argentina Football Federation (AFA), Omar Souto. has passed away. Souto was a member of the AFA for over 30 years and passed away at the age of 73.
Souto is regarded as very important in Argentine football, and one of the players he helped bring into the national team was Lionel Messi.
The current Inter Miami player made sure to honor him with a message online and thanked him for guiding him in representing the Argentina national team.
Lionel Messi wrote, “You were always present, and you were the person who paved the way for the AFA to spot me. A huge human being, impossible to forget for all of us who had the privilege of passing through the National Team. Your imprint stays forever.
We will never forget you, Omar. May you rest in peace.”
Omar Souto’s impact on Lionel Messi
While Messi was born in Argentina, the former FC Barcelona star had the option to also represent the Spanish national team.
Souto was responsible for tracking Messi and making sure the player chose to play for Argentina rather than Spain.
In an interview with La Nación, Souto spoke about personally speaking to Messi about representing the Argentina national team.
Souto said, “Spain were desperate for him, and he always said no. In 2003, Hugo Tocalli told me we had to find him. When we got back to Buenos Aires, I went to a payphone, tore out the page of the Messi family from the directory, and called his grandmother. Then his uncle. Then, finally, Jorge [Messi] in Spain. ‘He’s Lionel,’ Jorge told me, ‘And he’s been waiting for Argentina to call.”