“We Want Messi” Chants Go Unanswered at Texas A&M, But My 86-Year-Old Dad Still Loved the Supersized World Cup Tease

COLLEGE STATION — As regulation time wound down, those remaining in the crowd of 91,102 soccer fans that took over Texas A&M’s mammoth football stadium started chanting “We want Messi! We want Messi!” as one. Lionel Messi wouldn’t be coming off the bench in this World Cup warmup at Kyle Field though. The 38-year-old soccer icon is dealing with muscle fatigue and a left hamstring issue.

The chants would go unanswered. 

My father — a nearly 87-year-old lifelong soccer aficionado who can wax poetic on players in the English Premier League, Germany’s Bundesliga and MLS, going back decades — was among those who came to Aggieland hoping to watch Messi play in the defending World Cup champions’ exhibition warmup against Honduras.

While Messi never stepped onto the pitch during Argentina’s 2-0 win, an inflatable 10-foot Messi greeted my dad and everyone else who entered the stadium, courtesy of Lowe’s. That blowup Messi bears shockingly little resemblance to the real one.

Thanks to a good friend with deep Aggie roots, I scored four tickets at midfield for my dad’s soccer pilgrimage. The prime seats gave us a full view of the pitch, minus a corner kick or two. We looked directly onto the Argentina bench for views of Messi. The massive video boards at Kyle Field caught Messi as he walked across the field before the match, on the bench during it and afterward. Each time Messi appeared on the screens, the crowd erupted.

You know you’re a true worldwide icon when you get cheered for not doing anything.

The crowd was decidedly pro Argentina as expected. Seventy five percent of the 90,000-plus seemed to be sporting some variation of a No. 10 Messi jersey — most often in that distinctive blue and white striped Argentina jersey or MLS Inter Miami CF’s bright pink. Or at least it seemed the way. With Honduras also clad in blue, it could sometimes be hard to distinguish for sure.

Kyle Field’s Mega Sized Soccer Moment

Even though the forecast predicted rain for most of the week, this soccer Saturday night at Texas A&M turned out to be sunny, hot and humid. The only slight breeze came when someone left a nearby seat for the concession stand and allowed air to circulate.

A penalty kick in the 37th minute by Argentina’s Lautaro Martínez made it 1-0. In the 54th minute, Giuliano Simeone scored off an assist by Martínez and Argentina cruised on to the 2-0 win.

As my dad and I left the stadium, him walking tentatively down the steps, using a cane and son-in-law for support, he couldn’t stop smiling. I knew that even without seeing Messi play, he was glad we’d made the trip.

We want Messi? Sure. But we want good memories even more.

Argentina will begins World Cup group play against Algeria in Kansas City at 8 pm on June 16. It also plays Austria at noon on June 22 in the Dallas Cowboys’ home stadium in Arlington and Jordan at 9 pm on June 27 (also in Jerry World). Honduras failed to make it through CONCACAF’s qualifying rounds and will sit out the 2026 World Cup.