Buenos Aires, November 23 (NA) - The historic Manager of the National Teams, Omar Souto, passed away at the age of 73, leaving a huge mark on the Argentine Football Association (AFA) after being a key figure for Lionel Messi to wear the country's jersey.
"With enormous sorrow and sadness, the Argentine Football Association," the regulatory body announced his death through social networks, as reported by the Argentine News Agency.
And it continued: "simply thank you, Omar. I went all the way to a call office in Monte Grande and asked for a guide to the city of Rosario where all the Messis were. Thank you for your solidarity, your unparalleled commitment to the albiceleste and for being a true role model within the AFA".
Finally, the publication concluded: "we hug your family, friends and loved ones in this difficult moment".
A key fact about the importance of Souto, and not only for his work within the AFA, was the role he played in ensuring that Rosario star Lionel Messi would play for the Argentina national team. Omar contacted the family of the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain player to initiate the respective negotiations.
"I thought his name was Leonardo because everyone called him Leo. I called his grandmother who gave me his uncle's phone number, when I called him he gave me his father's, and when I called his father he said, 'at last they are going to call him up'.
