When world football icon Lionel Messi entered the Marcelo Bielsa Colossus at Rosario’s Parque de la Independencia to attend the farewell ceremony for his friend and former Argentina national team teammate Maximiliano Rodríguez on his 36th birthday, he set off an explosion.

His presence wasn’t noticed until 7:02 p.m., when the hosts of the Newell’s Idol celebration revealed a special surprise after a presentation by a number of Argentine football players, including Gabriel Batistuta, Gerardo Martino, and Lionel Scaloni.

Wearing the black and white tracksuit that said “MR11,” Lio made his way onto the field. At his arrival, almost 40,000 supporters erupted in cheers and wished him a happy birthday.

A self-described Newell’s supporter, Messi played in the lower leagues before moving to Barcelona as a young player, where he made his first-class debut and rose to fame in the world of football.

Messi and Maxi Rodríguez have played 33 games together for the Argentina national team. They were included in the squads for the World Cup in Brazil in 2014, South Africa in 2010, and Germany in 2006.