Lionel Messi has officially brought his remarkable international career with Argentina to an end, closing a 21-year chapter with an emotional farewell at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires.
The 39-year-old captain delivered a spectacular final performance on Tuesday night, scoring once and providing two assists as Argentina defeated Benin 3 – 0 in a friendly match. The appearance marked Messi’s 208th and final match for the national team.
Messi had, in August, announced his retirement from international football, saying the decision was painful but he understood the time had come. Argentina subsequently arranged the Benin fixture as an opportunity for the football icon to receive a befitting farewell in front of his home supporters.
The farewell became an emotional celebration of one of the greatest careers in international football. More than 85,000 supporters packed the Monumental, while tributes, fireworks and a drone display were held in honour of the Argentine captain.
In the farewell match, Messi scored from the penalty spot in the 71 minute after earlier assisting Nicolás Otamendi and Nico Paz. The goal took his Argentina tally to 126, making him the country’s all-time leading scorer, while his 208 appearances leave him as Argentina’s most-capped player.
After the final whistle, an emotional Messi addressed the supporters and reflected on more than two decades wearing the Argentina shirt. He described the moment as the “saddest day” of his career and said that not returning to play for the national team would be deeply painful.
Messi’s international journey included two Copa América titles and the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the trophy that finally ended Argentina’s long wait for a world title during his era. His career also included difficult periods, including an earlier international retirement in 2016 before he returned to the national team.
For Argentina, however, the era of Lionel Messi in the national-team shirt is now officially over, ending with a goal, two assists, a victory, and an emotional farewell from the supporters who watched his journey from a young prodigy to the world’s most decorated football icon.