Archive · 1 Sep 2026
Rajasthan Royals’ Messi-Dhoni Post Sparks Laughter and Debate
Lionel Messi announced that he would stop playing for Argentina’s national team.
Rajasthan Royals responded with a joke about seeing surprising retirement news on Instagram after 7 PM.
The post also mentioned cricket star MS Dhoni.
Many fans of both athletes found the joke funny or emotional.
Some fans said the comparison was disrespectful to Messi.
Others joked that Rajasthan Royals had made its usual “Thala” reference to Dhoni.
Messi said he had thought about retiring for a long time.
He reportedly made the announcement after Argentina lost the 2026 World Cup final to Spain.
Messi has not stopped playing club football for Inter Miami.
Rajasthan Royals posted, “Never open Instagram after 7 PM,” after Lionel Messi announced his Argentina retirement.
The IPL franchise shared an image linking Messi’s international retirement with MS Dhoni’s retirement.
Messi said he had considered the decision for a long time and felt it was the right moment.
The post went viral among fans who follow both cricket and football, prompting humorous and critical reactions.
Messi has retired from international football but continues to play club football for Inter Miami, according to the article.
- Who
- Lionel Messi, Rajasthan Royals, MS Dhoni, and fans of football and cricket.
- What
- Rajasthan Royals shared a humorous post after Messi announced his retirement from Argentina’s national team.
- When
- Shortly after Messi’s announcement; the article says he wrote his message two days after Argentina’s 2026 World Cup final defeat.
- Where
- The reaction took place on social media; Messi continues playing club football for Inter Miami.
- Why
- Rajasthan Royals appeared to be making a light-hearted reference to emotional retirements involving Messi and Dhoni.
Supporters of the joke
Critics of the comparison
Tone of the post
Supporters of the joke
Some fans viewed the Rajasthan Royals post as humorous and relatable, especially because it connected two emotional sporting retirements.
Critics of the comparison
Other fans said the post was disrespectful and objected to comparing Messi’s retirement with Dhoni’s career.
Messi-Dhoni reference
Supporters of the joke
Supporters appreciated the reference because both Messi and Dhoni have large, devoted fan bases and their retirements affected fans emotionally.
Critics of the comparison
Critics argued that Messi and Dhoni should not be compared in this way, with some comments specifically objecting to the comparison.
- Social media post
- Rajasthan Royals wrote, “Lesson learned: Never open Instagram after 7 PM on a random evening. Your favorite athletes may retire.”
- Retirement announced
- Lionel Messi announced his retirement from the Argentina national team.
- Other athlete mentioned
- The post brought MS Dhoni into the discussion.
- Messi’s explanation
- Messi said he had considered the decision for a long time and believed it was the right moment.
- Reported timing
- The article says Messi wrote the message two days after Argentina’s 2026 World Cup final defeat to Spain.
- Club football
- The article says Messi has not retired from club football and continues to play for Inter Miami.
- Audience reaction
- Fans responded with jokes, emotional comments, and criticism of the comparison.