Argentine football witnessed a heart-warming moment on Friday night when young forward Joaquín Panichelli made his international debut in a friendly against Angola. The match, held in Luanda, became particularly memorable for the 23-year-old as he stepped onto the pitch in the 86th minute — replacing none other than Lionel Messi, the very player he had idolised since childhood.
Panichelli, who stands at an imposing 6ft 2in, currently plays for French side Racing Strasbourg and is enjoying a brilliant run of form. Despite featuring for only four minutes, he managed to register a shot on goal and later admitted he was “thrilled beyond words” simply to share the pitch with his football hero.
Speaking to TOIC Sports after the match, the River Plate-trained striker described the experience as “a dream come true”. He added:
“Even getting a few minutes felt incredible. To be here, to play for my country, and to debut in this way is something I’ll never forget.”
He went on to outline his playing style, explaining:
“I see myself primarily as a centre-forward. I think I have the attributes for the role — I work hard, I like to battle, I like to tackle. I enjoy the physical side of the game.”
Naturally, the conversation turned to Messi, the man who shaped Panichelli’s football dreams. While he tried to remain professional around Argentina’s captain, he admitted he could not resist making one special request:
“I’ve grown up watching him. Meeting him here, being in the same dressing room with him and other stars, was surreal. But in the end, it’s a football team — I wanted to stay focused and be ready. Still… I did ask him for a photo. Sharing these moments with him was truly special.”
Panichelli’s debut comes at a time when he is in scintillating form for Strasbourg. He currently leads the league’s scoring chart with an impressive 12 goals in just 9 matches, and he also found the net on his Europa Conference League debut — further cementing his status as one of Argentina’s most exciting emerging talents.