Omar Souto dies, AFA legend who helped bring Messi to Argentina | OneFootball

The AFA is in mourning. At 73 years old, Omar Souto, the historic manager of the National Teams and one of the people responsible for Lionel Messi playing for Argentina, has passed away.

“With great sorrow and sadness, the Argentine Football Association announces the passing of Omar Souto, the historic Manager of Argentina’s National Teams,” the Association stated. “Simply thank you, Omar. Thank you for your solidarity, your unparalleled commitment to the Albiceleste, and for being a true role model within the AFA,” they affirmed. And they concluded: “We embrace your family, friends, and loved ones in this difficult moment.”

Tapia, president of the Association, also mourned his passing: “Such sad news. You’ve left us, Papúa. Today the sky is a little more Argentine. Words are not enough to thank you for everything you did and gave for our National Team. You will always be an example. We will miss you very much. Rest in peace.”

Souto was even a key figure in ensuring that Messi played for the Argentine National Team and not for Spain: he was the one who contacted his family to try to reach him and begin the formal relationship with the AFA so that he would wear the Albiceleste jersey.

“At the U-20 World Cup in Nigeria, we were always with Spain at the hotels, and someone from their coaching staff grabbed us and said, ‘How come you didn’t bring the kid from Barcelona? He’s better than all the ones here.’ And on that team we had Cavenaghi, Mascherano, Maxi López, and one day when we got back to Buenos Aires, Tocalli told me we had to get that player. I thought his name was Leonardo because everyone called him Leo. I went to a phone booth in Monte Grande and asked for a directory of the city of Rosario where all the Messis were. I called the grandmother, who gave me the uncle’s number, and when I called him, he gave me the father’s number, and when I called him, he said, ‘Finally, you’re going to call him up. My son wants to play for the Argentine National Team,’” he recalled in an interview with TyC Sports in 2021.

He added even more color when he, together with Tocalli, organized a fake call-up so that Messi wouldn’t go to the Spanish U-17 pre-selection. There, they arranged a match with Paraguay and another with Uruguay, a key moment in the career of a Leo who would never leave the National Team. “The most important thing to highlight is that Messi always wanted to play for the Argentine National Team. He had a thousand offers to stay in Spain, but he always wanted to play here,” he emphasized.

Recently, in October, Omar Souto received an emotional tribute at the AFA’s Ordinary Assembly. This November 23, his passing brings mourning to the Association, which was his home for more than 30 years.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.