Tributes to Retired Sporting Legends

Passion. Composure. Loyalty. These words define sporting heroes. Recently, some legendary athletes have reached the end of their international careers, leaving fans to reflect on their incredible contributions.

A mural of Lionel Messi in Buenos Aires captured on August 31. (Natacha Pisarenko/AP)

On Monday, Lionel Messi shared an emotional announcement that he would retire from international soccer. His news followed Roger Federer’s tearful induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame on Saturday, where he reminisced about his career.

As the U.S. Open unfolded on Sunday, Novak Djokovic showed visible emotion. With these signals, many wonder if he, too, will step away from the sport shortly.

With these illustrious athletes in the spotlight, four writers from Post Opinions offer reflections on their favorite retired legends.