Messi bids goodbye to Argentina football
Spread the word Lionel Messi brought his remarkable 21-year international career with Argentina to an emotional conclusion on Tuesday, producing one final masterclass as the World Cup holders defeated Benin 3-0 in front of more than 85,000 supporters at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires. The 39-year-old captain scored from the penalty spot and provided two assists as Argentina turned what was officially a friendly into a historic farewell for the country's most decorated and influential footballer of the modern era.
Blueprint reports Messi's final appearance for Argentina came less than three months after the team lost the 2026 FIFA World Cup final to Spain, a defeat that prompted him to announce his international retirement. Although he had already made his decision to step away from the national team, the Argentine Football Association arranged one final appearance on home soil to allow Messi to say goodbye to the supporters who had followed his extraordinary journey.
FIFA had earlier confirmed that the Benin friendly would serve as his farewell match. Messi signs off in style The farewell could hardly have been scripted better.
Argentina took the lead through veteran defender Nicolás Otamendi, with Messi providing the assist. He then created the second goal for Nico Paz before completing the scoring himself from the penalty spot in the 71st minute.
The goal was Messi's 126th for Argentina, further extending his record as the country's all-time leading scorer. It was also his 208th appearance for the national team, making him Argentina's most-capped player.
The final whistle triggered an emotional celebration inside the Monumental, with Messi's teammates gathering around him while supporters chanted his name. A drone display later illuminated the Buenos Aires sky with tributes to the Argentina captain, bringing a spectacular conclusion to an international career that had produced World Cup and Copa America glory.
Messi was visibly emotional throughout the evening, particularly as he reflected on the significance of no longer returning to the Argentina camp. He told supporters that representing Argentina for more than two decades had been an enormous source of pride and acknowledged that not returning would be painful.
From heartbreak to national hero Messi's relationship with Argentina was not always as affectionate as it is today. For years, his international career was defined by disappointment despite his extraordinary success with Barcelona.
Argentina lost the 2014 World Cup final to Germany and then suffered successive Copa America final defeats against Chile in 2015 and 2016. The 2016 Copa America defeat proved particularly painful, prompting Messi to announce his retirement from international football before he eventually reversed the decision.