Lionel Messi might be widely considered as the GOAT of football, but he has always named Diego Maradona as his greatest inspiration to take up the beautiful game.
Messi continues to pay homage to the football icon and did so recently after arriving in the USA to play for Inter Miami. He’s already taken the MLS side by storm, scoring three goals in his first two games and creating many viral moments for the league.
The 36-year-old recent posted a video on his Instagram account where he can be seen modelling a rather interesting Argentina kit. It isn’t the current kit, or the one that La Albiceleste wore at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, but one that Maradona wore during his final years in international football.
— They Think Kits All Over (@TheyThinkKits) July 30, 2023
After a bit of digging, fans realized that Messi was actually paying homage to Maradona by wearing the Argentina kit worn in the 1994 FIFA World Cup.
Created by Adidas, the Argentina kit back then had a dark blue colour with an interesting black design around the side as well as in the shorts as well.
The kit, as Messi shows by turning over, does not have any names mentioned in it but he is seen wearing the iconic no.10 – which was donned by Maradona at the World Cup in which Argentina were knocked out in the Round of 16 by a defiant Romania side.
The kit is part of the ‘Bring Back’ remake collection by Adidas which is set to be launched in December 2023.
How fans have reacted to Messi’s tribute to Maradona
Most supporters seem to have taken this interesting tribute from Leo to be a kind of hint for his plans for the future with the national team.
Incidentally, the 1994 World Cup was held in the USA – where it is scheduled to take place in 2026 as well. Many have already speculated that Leo has moved to the country in early preparations for the next World Cup, even though he’s confirmed that the 2022 edition was his final one.
🏆🇺🇲 USA 1994: Diego's last World Cup 🏆🇺🇲 USA 2026: The last of Leo Messi?
Many Argentina fans are praying that Messi breaks that promise and ends up playing in 2026, when he could be 40! Some are hoping that Leo can help them break their curse from the 1994 edition and undo their wrongs in the USA by guiding them to back-to-back World Cup titles in the upcoming edition.
For the time being, Messi has only modelled this kit as a tribute to the person who inspired him to take up football. Whether this escalates to him playing in the 2026 World Cup or just a case of him inadvertently raising the kit’s sales remains to be seen.
