Lionel Messi ends his career with the Argentina national team amid emotional farewell

Springbok prop Ox Nche has observed an increased sense of unity and belief within the Sharks squad this season. He believes that a stronger feeling of connection and cohesion has contributed to a noticeably different atmosphere in the Sharks as the team prepares for the United Rugby Championship derby against Stormers on Saturday.

Although Nche joined the Sharks recently, missing pre-season training, he felt the changes after only two campaign matches compared to the squad he observed over the previous three seasons.

The Sharks confirmed their first victory over Ospreys with an impressive win against Leinster, gaining early momentum before traveling to Cape Town. However, for Nche, the most significant difference was not so much the results, but how the squad itself functions.

Ahead of the upcoming match at Cape Town Stadium, Nche stated: 'Undoubtedly, I think we are not just saying words. One thing I saw is that there are real actions, and we do what we say. Just more belief and connection among ourselves. We are all in the same mood. We are more cohesive, if I may say so. I am enjoying it. There was definitely a difference compared to the previous three seasons.'

This sense of cohesion was evident in the first two performances of the Sharks, where their physical approach and willingness to work for each other helped them overcome two tough opponents. Nevertheless, Nche believes that the team's task now is to ensure that this early progress becomes a sustainable part of the collective identity, rather than just a short-term boost after a good start.

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Saturday's derby should serve as a useful indicator of this progress, as Stormers return home for the first time this season after securing one win and one loss in their first two encounters. Sharks also have additional motivation due to the trip to Cape Town after they secured a double victory over Stormers in the league last season, although Nche is focused solely on the present moment, not past achievements.

Since familiar Springbok players are likely to be on the opposite side of the field, the match will have much personal intrigue, but Nche views the contest through the prism of the collective. His message aligns with the cultural shift he has noticed since returning to the Sharks: individual battles are less important than the group moving in one direction. Given that the Sharks are already showing signs of a stronger collective identity, Saturday's derby will provide another opportunity to see if this belief can transform into consistent performances against one of South Africa's heavyweights.

Bubneshwar Kumar's story has entered the ranks of examples of resurgence in Indian cricket, where the athlete demonstrated his response not with words, but with results. After being dropped from the Indian team in 2022, many believed his international career was coming to an end. However, after four years, he returned to the national team and refuted all prevailing opinions.

Interestingly, what was previously considered his weakness became the main factor in his return. At the age of 36, Bubneshwar Kumar still masterfully wields the art of making the ball spin in both directions. Although his speed has decreased, his ability to place the ball accurately and change direction at the last moment remains a serious challenge for batsmen.

Bubneshwar Kumar's main advantage is his outswing. He makes the ball move away from the batsman, searching for the outside edge of the bat at the last moment. Furthermore, a suddenly incoming ball can completely stun the player. Therefore, reducing Bubneshwar merely to a fast bowler would be an underestimation of his skills. Over the years of hard work, he developed the technique of moving the ball in the air while playing white balls, which cannot be learned quickly.

In the 2022 T20 World Cup against England, Bubneshwar Kumar did not show the expected level of play. In Adelaide, Alex Hales and Jos Buttler put pressure on the Indian bowling, and Bubneshwar lacked his former sharpness in pace and spin. Following this, questions arose about his form during the tour of New Zealand. Young and fast bowlers began to be preferred in the squad, and Bubneshwar gradually fell outside the selectors' plans. At that time, few could have predicted that at 36, he would wear the Indian jersey again.

The most significant reason for Bubneshwar Kumar's return was his performance in the IPL (Indian Premier League). For the seasons 2025 and 2026, he took 45 wickets for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Although the team's attack attracted players like Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, and Krunal Pandya, Bubneshwar consistently performed his role in bowling. His ability to create spin on the new ball, maintain correct length, and use experience in tense situations made him indispensable for RCB. He demonstrated that a decrease in speed does not mean the disappearance of a bowler's influence.

Bubneshwar Kumar hails from Meerut, a city long known for its traditions of manufacturing cricket balls and spinning bowlers. Before him, Pravin Kumar also brought special status to the city in the world of cricket through his spin bowling. Pravin Kumar noted: 'Meerut has something special in the air.' Buvy fully justified this statement with his bowling. His swinging balls remained his distinguishing feature for a long time.

After Ajit Agarkar became the chief selector, decisions in the team started to be future-oriented. Many expected Bubneshwar Kumar to return to the squad due to his experience, but the selectors chose a different path then. Now, after Agarkar's departure, Buvy's fate has changed.

A distinctive feature of Bubneshwar Kumar's return was that he made no loud statements after being dropped from the team. Instead of criticizing the selectors or complaining about his situation, he continued to work on his game. He played baseball cricket for Uttar Pradesh and shared his experience with young bowlers. Then he showed consistently high results in the IPL.

Bubneshwar's return sparked an interesting debate in Indian cricket. A former Indian player and BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) official jokingly told the news agency PTI: 'If Bubneshwar has come, then Mohammed Shammi cannot stay aside either?'

Bubneshwar Kumar's return is also important because it challenges the idea that success in T20 cricket is guaranteed only by youth and high speed. Having had his career questioned in 2022, he will reappear in the Indian jersey in 2026, using his oldest weapon—ball spin.

Lionel Messi's career on the international stage is drawing to a close, but his influence on football extends far beyond the trophies, records, and individual awards he has won over more than two decades.

Following the announcement of his international retirement several weeks ago, Messi is preparing for an official farewell match, where members of the Argentine team that won the 2022 World Cup have been invited to celebrate his outstanding career.

By examining five key moments that helped change the sport, one can trace the evolution of his influence.

In March 2007, when Messi was only a 19-year-old player, he scored his first hat-trick for Barcelona against Real in a tense El Clásico match at Camp Nou. This match convinced many of the exceptional quality of the Barcelona squad. Even then, his ability to accelerate, control the ball, and dribble past defenders was evident, but his composure under pressure stood out particularly. He ceased to be just a promising young talent and made his mark on the biggest football stage.

Lionel Messi and Pep Guardiola previously had successful working relationships, together winning two Champions League trophies and three La Liga titles.

Pep Guardiola's decision to move Messi to the central position of a false nine in May 2009 became one of the defining tactical moments of modern football. Instead of staying high between the opponent's central defenders, Messi dropped deeper, forcing defenders into impossible decisions. If they followed him, space opened up behind them; if they left him, he could receive the ball between the lines and attack the defense.

The 6-2 thrashing of Real by Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabéu was the most vivid example of the destructive power of this system. Messi's role influenced coaches and teams around the world, as the false nine turned into one of the most discussed tactical concepts in football.

The 2012 season remains one of the most outstanding individual years in football history. For Barcelona and Argentina, Messi scored 91 goals in 69 matches, breaking Gerd Müller's long-standing record for goals in a calendar year. However, it wasn't just about the numbers. Messi simultaneously acted as a goalscorer, creator, dribbler, and playmaker. He could dictate the flow of matches from the wing, operate in the center, or drop into midfield to suddenly appear in the penalty area.

These statistics were phenomenal due to the variety of ways he achieved them.

Throughout many years, Messi's international career was accompanied by the inevitable question: would he win the World Cup? He was close to success in 2014 when Argentina lost the final in Germany, but Qatar provided the answer. Messi scored twice against France in one of the greatest World Cup finals before Argentina won on penalties. The trophy completed his international collection and removed the only major achievement missing from his career. It also changed the discussion about his international legacy. Messi stopped being just the greatest player of his generation trying to emulate past Argentine legends; he created his own World Cup story.

Perhaps Messi's most significant contribution to football lies in his ability to evolve. The explosive winger who destroyed defenders with his speed and dribbling gradually transformed into a deeper playmaker and creator. With age, Messi relied less on constantly beating opponents over long distances and more on understanding space, passing range, and the ability to control the tempo of the game.

This transformation was particularly noticeable with the Argentine national team. He became the creative center of the team, allowing younger players around him to provide energy and running. The player changed, but the influence remained. Perhaps this is Messi's greatest legacy. He didn't just dominate one era of football; he adapted as the game changed around him and continued to find new ways to influence it. From a teenage phenomenon at Barcelona to a captain who won the World Cup with Argentina, Messi's career has repeatedly challenged our understanding of what one footballer can achieve. And as he prepares to finally say goodbye to international football, debates about his place in football history will continue long after he strikes his last ball.