Lionel Messi pays tribute to Sergio Aguero following the Manchester City legend's retirement

Lionel Messi has admitted it 'hurts' to see Sergio Aguero call an end to his illustrious career as the Paris Saint-Germain star paid tribute to his compatriot following his retirement. 

The Barcelona star, 33, broke down in tears during a press conference on Wednesday after being forced to retire due to a heart condition.

Aguero spent the bulk of his career at Manchester City - where he broke the club's all-time goal scoring record with 260 goals in 390 games - and former club team-mates Kevin de Bruyne, Raheem Sterling and Vincent Kompany hailed the Argentine's magnificent career.

Lionel Messi says Sergio Aguero's retirement from football 'hurts' in a tribute to his compatriot

Aguero, 33, announced his retirement in Barcelona on Wednesday due to a heart condition 

And now Aguero's countryman, Messi, has lavished praise on his compatriot, with whom he has spent the majority of his national career playing alongside.

Messi and Aguero won gold at the 2008 Olympics together under Sergio Batista, reached the 2014 World Cup final and won last summer's Copa America.  

'Practically a whole career together, Kun ... We lived very beautiful moments and others that were not so, all of them made us unite more and be closer friends,' he posted on Instagram. 'And we are going to continue living them together off the pitch.

'With the great joy of lifting the Copa America so little ago, with all the achievements you achieved in England… And the truth is that now it hurts a lot to see how you have to stop doing what you like the most because of what happened to you.

Messi took to Instagram to pen a tribute to his former team-mate following the announcement 

Messi (L) and Aguero (R) won gold together at the Beijing Olympics, as well as Copa America

'Surely you will continue to be happy because you are a person who transmits happiness and those of us who love you will be with you.

'Now a new stage of your life begins and I am convinced that you are going to live it with a smile and with all the illusion that you put into everything.

'All the best in this new stage !!! I love you a lot, friend, I'm going to miss a lot being with you on the pitch and when we get together with the National Team !!! @Kun Aguero.'

During an emotional press conference at the Nou Camp, Aguero reflected on the greatest moments of his career, including his last-minute strike against QPR to hand City their first Premier League title. 

Messi said he has spent his whole national team career with Aguero and will miss him

'It's not up to me,' he said. 'It will be up to others'. And to much laugher he added with a cheeky smile: 'It's possible I was a crack (great player)'.

Asked for the best moments of his career he spoke first of a famous goal he had scored for Independiente in Argentina against Racing when he was just 16, and then of helping Atletico Madrid secure the Europa League against Fulham in 2010.

Then he said: 'The goal v Queen's Park Rangers because it meant I won my first Premier League, and City won its first Premier League.'

'I'm glad to be here telling the story,' he said when asked about the relief that his heart problem had no greater immediate consequence than him having to go for tests on his heart.

'When they did the first tests they told me there was a real chance I would not play again. And when they later told me it was definitive it took a while to take it in board,' he added.