WATCH: Lionel Messi Makes Journalist’s Day With Heartwarming Gesture

After Argentina’s thrilling 2-1 win over Nigeria, which kept them alive in the World Cup, the albiceleste captain Lionel Messi made a journalist’s day with a heartwarming gesture.

“In the first match I gave you the good luck charm that my mother gave me, I’m not sure if you kept it or threw it away,” Rama Pantorotto of Telefenoticias said to Messi after the match.

“Look,” the Barcelona star responded, before digging into his sock to reveal a red string tied around his ankle.

Pantorotto was surprised, all he could say was “I’m sorry?”

“For real,” Messi replied.

“For real? You put it on your leg?”

“I wanted to say thank you,” Messi said.

“You’re screwing with me,” Pantorotto said incredulously.

After Messi left, the journalist turned to the camera and said “ma, my dear, he put the string on his leg!”

Watch:

Pantorotto explained that his mother had given him a piece of red string to bring him luck on his trip to Russia, and given him an extra one to give to Messi.

Apparently, they had never previously spoken. He had only seen him from afar and said hi before the first match, against Iceland. When Messi missed his penalty in that 1-1 draw, Pantorotto remembered the red string and eventually delivered it to him.

The luck perhaps took a bit of time to take effect, as Argentina lost the next match to Croatia, 3-0. But apparently, it did eventually help Messi - or at least he seems to think so.