Messi bids farewell to international football with 208th game
Lionel Messi ended his international career in front of a sold-out Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, where fans, teammates and former World Cup winners paid tribute to him after his 208th and final game for Argentina. The emotional farewell began before kickoff, when Messi was pictured in tears on the Argentina team bus as it passed fans lining the route to the stadium.
He and coach Lionel Scaloni cried again during the national anthem, which Messi sang alongside his sons Thiago, Mateo and Ciro. The game stopped in the 10th minute so the crowd could applaud him, and Benin players lined up to shake his hand.
After the final whistle, a drone show lit up the sky with images from his career, including the one of him holding the World Cup trophy in Qatar in 2022. Messi then spoke to the crowd.
"I would love to keep coming back forever, because playing for the Argentine national team is the most beautiful thing that can happen to you," he said. "Now, inevitably, I face the saddest day of my career: saying goodbye to the national team," he added.
He promised to support the squad from the stands from now on. Scaloni said the team will have to move on without Messi's presence.
"I've never seen that aura in anyone else in my life," he said. The friendly against Benin carried the nickname "the last tango," and Argentina won 3-0.
Messi scored his 126th goal for his country, sending a penalty into the roof of the net in the 71st minute. He had missed a few earlier chances, but he also set up Argentina's other two goals.
His corner in the 48th minute allowed Nicolás Otamendi to head home, and his pass led to a curled finish from Nico Paz. Messi scored 19 goals there, more than in any other stadium for Argentina, and the team returned there to celebrate its first World Cup win since 1986.
The Argentine Football Association (AFA) persuaded him to play one more match so he could have a proper send-off. More than 85,000 tickets sold out in 90 minutes, and some later resold for over $2,500.