During the FIFA World Cup 2026, a reporter presented Lionel Messi with a Vatican-blessed rosary, creating a heartwarming and emotional moment. This gesture came as Messi, in exceptional form, has broken goal-scoring records while leading the defending champions, Argentina, to the tournament's semifinals.
The Argentina captain and football legend Lionel Messi received an emotional yet heartwarming gift from a reporter amid the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2026. Messi is featuring in his record sixth World Cup, beginning his career in the prestigious tournament in 2006.
Under the leadership of Messi, Argentina, the defending champions, won all three group stage matches against Algeria, Austria, and Jordan, and then defeated Cape Verde, Egypt, and Switzerland in the round of 32, 16, and quarterfinals, respectively, to setup semifinal clash against England.
Argentina is the only one of the three teams alongside England and France to win all group and knockout matches of the ongoing edition of the World Cup, underlining their status as one of the favourites to retain the title.
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Reporter Gifts Vatican Rosary to Messi
As Lionel Messi has guided Argentina to their third semifinal, keeping their hopes alive for the title defence, the legendary footballer was visibly moved when a reporter presented him with a rosary blessed by the Vatican. Messi received a heartwarming gift from the reporter following Argentina’s round of 32 win over Cape Verde.
In a video that went on social media, especially X (formerly Twitter), Messi was seen being politely stopped by a reporter and handed him a Vatican rosary, to which Messi responded with a humble, grateful smile, respectfully accepting the token and acknowledging the gesture with a warm nod.
“Leo, this little gift is for you. For all the joy you gave us in these 20 years, everyone always asks for something, begs for something, and it's super logical, but you were the refuge of joy for millions of kids since they came to the world,” the reporter told Messi.
“Since the old man who is leaving, and this rosary so that he takes care of you in everything you undertake in life, and for you and your family, a lot of health and thanks, from all the Argentines. Thank you," he added.
Lionel Messi gave a warm hug to the Argentine reporter, a spontaneous and genuine gesture that perfectly mirrored the depth of the emotion shared during their brief but impactful encounter.
This is similar to another heartwarming moment when the Argentine football legend received a red ribbon for good luck from a reporter in 2018, which he later revealed he had kept on his ankle as a lucky charm, a testament to how deeply Messi values these personal, symbolic tokens from those who have followed his journey across his storied career.
How Did Lionel Messi Perform in the World Cup 2026?
Lionel Messi has been in exceptional form in what is likely to be his final FIFA World Cup appearance. In Argentina’s opening group match against Algeria, the 39-year-old netted a hat-trick of goals to power the defending champions to a dominant 3-0 victory in Kansas City.
In the following match against Australia, Messi netted a brace, which took him past former Germany captain Miroslav Klose on the all-time list of most goals scored in FIFA World Cup history, further cementing his legacy as one of the greatest players to have graced the tournament.
In the final group fixture against Jordan, Lionel Messi scored a goal in a 3-0 win, before Argentina’s round of 32 clash against Cape Verde, where he netted the opening goal in a thrilling 3-2 win and became the first player to score 20 goals in the history of the FIFA World Cup. In the pre-quarterfinal against Egypt, Messi netted an equaliser to take his total tally to 21 goals.
In the quarterfinal, the Argentine star didn’t score a single goal in a 3-1 win over Switzerland, ending his nine-match scoring streak in the tournament. Now, Lionel Messi will look to play a pivotal role once again when Argentina takes on England in the high-stakes semifinal at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Wednesday, July 14.
