Lionel Messi ended his remarkable international career with Argentina in the best way possible with a goal, two assists and a 3-0 victory over Benin at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.
The emotional farewell on Tuesday, October 6, marked the end of Messi’s 21-year journey with the Argentina national team. More than 85,000 fans packed the stadium to see their captain wear the famous blue-and-white shirt for the final time.
Messi delivers one final masterclass
Argentina went into the break without a goal, but the second half quickly turned into the Messi show.
Messi provided the assist for Nicolás Otamendi to open the scoring shortly after halftime. He then created another goal for young midfielder Nicolás Paz, giving Argentina a comfortable 2-0 lead.
The moment everyone inside the Monumental was waiting for arrived in the 71st minute. Argentina were awarded a penalty and Messi stepped up to take it. He made no mistake, sending the ball into the net to score his 126th international goal and complete Argentina’s 3-0 win.
An emotional goodbye
The match was much more than just another international friendly. It was a celebration of one of the greatest careers in football history.
The game was briefly stopped in the 10th minute, paying tribute to Messi’s iconic No. 10 shirt, as fans gave him a standing ovation. At the final whistle, Messi became visibly emotional as teammates, opponents and supporters gathered around him. A drone show and other tributes followed the match.
Messi finishes his Argentina career as the team’s most-capped player and record goalscorer. He made 208 appearances and scored 126 goals for the national side, while helping Argentina win the 2021 and 2024 Copa América titles and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The end of an unforgettable Argentina chapter
Messi made his Argentina debut in 2005 as an 18-year-old. Over the next two decades, he experienced painful defeats, criticism and missed opportunities before eventually leading Argentina to major international glory.
His World Cup triumph in Qatar in 2022 finally completed the biggest missing piece of his international legacy.
Now, after 21 years, 208 appearances and 126 goals, Messi has closed the Argentina chapter of his career.
And fittingly, he did it in front of his home fans with a goal, two assists and one final victory in the famous No. 10 shirt.
