A story written about Lionel Messi, the living legend of football.
Short stories of Nirjhor. || 7 || Messi, the King of Football
।। Messi, the King of Football ।।
।।Siddiquer Rahman Nirjhor।।
Dedication
To all Messi fans around the world,
who see in a footballer not just a player, but a reflection of dreams, perseverance, and humanity.

Night slowly descends around the stadium in Kansas City. Lights shimmer in every direction. Amid the crowd, there is a strange silence, as though everyone already understands—this is no ordinary night.
Seated high in the stands is Antonela Roccuzzo. The little girl from Rosario, whose presence once entered Lionel Messi’s life like a quiet, hidden feeling. That childhood friend who, in time, became the most steadfast refuge of his life.
Antonela is not merely a wife. She is the person who has silently held on to the tired boy within Messi. She knows the gentle weariness hidden in his eyes far better than she knows his countless trophies.
Beside her sit their three sons—Thiago, Mateo, and Ciro. They clap their hands, then suddenly fall silent. All eyes are fixed on the pitch. It feels as though a story is being written before them, and at the center of that story stands one man—Lionel Messi.
As the match begins, an unusual confidence radiates through the Argentine side. The Argentina national football team moves forward with the ball. Messi stands in midfield. Calm. Effortlessly calm. Yet within that calmness lies a storm.
In one corner of the stadium, a young boy whispers,
— “Something is going to happen tonight...”
His father simply nods.
He says nothing.
Because when Messi is on a football field, words lose their importance. Feeling becomes everything.
The first goal arrives suddenly.
It is as if time itself pauses and places the ball gently at Messi’s feet.
And then, it is a goal.
The stands erupt.
— “Messi!”

For a fleeting moment, Antonela’s eyes drift back into the past. To that little city of Rosario. To the shy young Messi who once stood beside her and said,
— “One day, I’ll become a footballer... Will you stay by my side?”
With that single sentence began a quiet love story, one that only deepened with the passing years.
Antonela folds her arms close to her chest. Tears gather in her eyes, yet a smile remains on her face.
A soft smile.
A silent smile.
Suddenly, she looks toward the field below and begins humming softly to herself. The children beside her glance at their mother in surprise.

Lionel Messi, Lionel Messi,
The whole world loves you dearly.
The people of Bengal love Messi too,
As if he belongs to their own country.
Lionel Messi, Lionel Messi,
I love you very much.
With the crown of victory upon your head,
You walk as though touching the sky.
Lionel Messi, Lionel Messi,
Along the same path, I love you still.
In days of joy and nights of sorrow,
That is why I always run to your side.
Lionel Messi, Lionel Messi,
The whole world loves you dearly...
No one hears the song.
It disappears beneath the thunderous roar of the stadium.
Yet little Ciro smiles as he hears his mother’s voice.
Thiago claps his hands.
Mateo asks,
— “Mom, is that Dad’s song?”
Antonela laughs and nods.
— “Yes, it’s for your father.”
The second goal arrives with even greater perfection.
This time, nobody is surprised.
It simply feels as though this is exactly how it was meant to be.
Little Mateo looks toward the field and says,
— “Daddy again!”
But no one answers.
Because everyone knows that words are unnecessary here.
When the third goal arrives, the stadium seems to tremble.
It feels as though the balance of the world has shifted ever so slightly.
Messi does not run.
He simply stands and looks toward the sky.
There is no exhaustion in his eyes.
No arrogance.
Only a quiet sense of wonder.
Antonela takes out her phone and writes:
"Come on, Argentina! Always with you, Lionel Messi! You are unbelievable!"
That small sentence somehow becomes larger than the stadium itself.
The match ends with a score of three-nil.
But the story does not end.
Outside the dressing room, one journalist turns to another and says,
— “Do people know what he really is? Is he even human?”
The other smiles.
— “No. He’s football.”
Yet no one can truly express the whole truth.
Because the truth is astonishingly simple:
Messi plays, and the world feels a little more beautiful.
Perhaps that is why people from every corner of the globe do not see him merely as a footballer. Some call him a magician. Some call him a legend. Others call him an architect of dreams.
But beneath the Kansas City sky that night, one title feels more fitting than any other—
Messi, the King of Football.
A king does not always need a crown.
Sometimes, the love of people becomes the crown itself.
Messi has worn that crown for many years.
He does not merely score goals.
He wins the hearts of millions.
He does not merely win matches.
He inspires imagination itself.
Children dream because of him.
The elderly rediscover the excitement of youth through him.
And so, the people sitting in the stands do not simply see a footballer.
They see a living legend.
At one end of the stadium, the little boy speaks again.
— “When I grow up, I’m going to be like Messi.”
For the first time, his father smiles.
— “No, you can’t be Messi. You can only be yourself. And that is the greatest thing of all.”
The stadium lights slowly fade.
But one name remains suspended in the air—
Messi.
And within that name live dreams, love, and wonder.
Somewhere, it feels as though Antonela’s gentle melody still drifts through the night:
"Lionel Messi, Lionel Messi,
I love you very much..."
The field is almost empty now.
Yet it seems that one man remains.
He is not running.
He is not scoring.
And yet, in the hearts of millions, he continues to play.
Some people write history.
Some people become part of history.
And then there are those rare souls whose very names become history itself.
Lionel Messi is one of them.
His talent made him great.
But the love of people made him the King of Football.
London, 18 June, 2026
Readers’ Feedback
Readers may send feedback after reading the story via email. Selected responses will be published under the title “Readers’ Feedback”.
— Author
✉ msnirjhor786@gmail.com