Ever since the legendary Basketball player Manu Ginobili retires, heartwarming farewell messages have been flying in for the Argentine and the latest comes from none other than Barcelona magician Lionel Messi.

Diego Maradona, Paulo Dybala, LeBron James and a host of other NBA stars had already recognised the legacy that Ginobili leaves. Barcelona forward meet the San Antonio Spurs legend in at the Olympic Games in Bejiing in 2008, took to Facebook to send a personal message to his compatriot.

"Thank you Manu Ginobili, for making us enjoy basketball so much. It's not going to be the same without you on the court, all the luck in the world for your new chapter," Messi said.

"I know that several NBA players wear the No. 10 shirt in my honour and that is something very special, as well as hearing praise from superstars like LeBron James , Kevin Durant and Kobe Bryant," he said back then.

"But none of them struck me as much as Manu's, when he came out to support me after the 2011 Copa America in Argentina. "

That someone like him, a sportsman of his level and commitment, has supported me in that way means a lot".

"It makes me very proud to hear a journalist say that Manu is the Messi of basketball, in fact they should say that I am the Manu of football," Messi wrote, when describing the retired shooting guard.

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