Lionel Messi left the World Cup final in tears Sunday night after Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in extra time, denying the football icon a second consecutive title in what may have been his final appearance at the tournament.
But at Save a Child’s Heart in Israel, Messi’s legacy is measured not only in goals, trophies or championships. It is also remembered through the hope he gave children facing life-saving heart surgery far from home.
As the football world watched Argentina and Spain battle at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, patients and medical teams at the Israeli humanitarian organization recalled the moments Messi spent with children during visits to Israel with Argentina’s national team in 2019 and Paris Saint-Germain in 2022.
During the high-profile visits, philanthropist and Save a Child’s Heart supporter Sylvan Adams helped ensure that meeting the organization’s young patients was included in the teams’ crowded schedules.
For children being treated for congenital heart defects, many of whom had traveled thousands of miles without access to advanced cardiac care in their home countries, meeting one of football’s greatest players offered a rare moment of excitement during a difficult medical journey.
Among those Messi met were Abdi from Ethiopia, Mafunda from Zanzibar and Ndiaga from Senegal. Messi personally gave the children signed shirts, providing what the organization described as an immense source of courage ahead of their medical procedures. “Sport has a remarkable ability to bring people together, and few people embody that better than Lionel Messi,” Adams said.
(Photo: Save a Child's Heart )
“On Sunday night, he united millions around the world on football’s biggest stage. But some of his greatest moments happen away from the stadium.
“When Messi visited the children at Save a Child’s Heart in Israel, he gave them far more than a memorable meeting. He gave them hope, confidence and joy at a moment when they needed it most.
“I will always be grateful for the kindness he showed our patients, and proud that together we were able to create memories they and their families will never forget.”
‘The best medicine imaginable’
Spain ultimately claimed its second men’s World Cup title after Ferran Torres scored the only goal of the final in extra time. Argentina played the additional period with 10 men following Enzo Fernández’s dismissal late in regulation.
Messi was unable to produce another decisive World Cup moment, leaving the field visibly devastated after Argentina’s attempt to defend the title it won in 2022 came to an end.
At the Save a Child’s Heart residence in Israel, however, the children were already asleep before the final was decided. Patients generally go to bed by 8 p.m. to protect their health and support their recovery. Staff expected their first questions on Monday morning to have little to do with medication or treatment. “Who won?” they were expected to ask. “Did Messi score?”
Simon Fisher, executive director of Save a Child’s Heart, said the effect Messi had during his visits was immediate. “When Lionel Messi walked in to meet our children, the atmosphere transformed entirely,” Fisher said.
“The sheer happiness on the faces of children who have been through so much medical trauma was the best medicine imaginable. Messi is a legend on and off the field, and that kindness leaves a permanent mark on a child’s spirit.”
Messi and his team at Bloomfield stadium
(Photo: Save a Child's Heart )
Messi’s World Cup may have ended in disappointment, but for the doctors, nurses and children whose lives he touched, the memories of his visits remain untouched by the result.
Their message to him is simple: Thank you, Leo. The trophies belong to the world, but the memories you gave these children belong to them forever.
Founded in 1995, Save a Child’s Heart has treated more than 8,500 children from 75 countries who otherwise lacked access to advanced cardiac care. The organization has also trained hundreds of doctors and medical professionals around the world, helping expand pediatric cardiac treatment far beyond Israel.