Lionel Messi Scores in Emotional Final Appearance for Argentina

Lionel Messi brought his extraordinary Argentina career to an emotional end, scoring in his 208th and final international appearance as Argentina defeated Benin 3-0 in Buenos Aires. The farewell match at the Estadio Monumental marked the end of a 21-year international career in which Messi became Argentina’s record appearance holder and leading goalscorer, while winning two Copa América titles and the 2022 World Cup. The 39-year-old gave the sold-out crowd one final goal to celebrate in the 71st minute, confidently converting a penalty for his 126th international goal. Supporters responded with chants of his name as the stadium celebrated Argentina’s legendary No. 10. Messi also played a major role in Argentina’s other two goals. He delivered the corner that Nicolás Otamendi headed into the net shortly after halftime before providing the pass for Nico Paz to score Argentina’s third. The celebrations continued after the final whistle, with a drone show above the Monumental displaying memorable moments from Messi’s international career, including his famous World Cup triumph in Qatar in 2022. Speaking to supporters after the match, Messi described representing Argentina as one of the greatest experiences of his life and admitted that saying goodbye to the national team was one of the saddest moments of his career. The emotion had already begun before kickoff. Messi was visibly moved on the journey to the stadium, while another emotional moment followed during the national anthem as he stood alongside his sons Thiago, Mateo and Ciro. The match itself briefly stopped in the 10th minute as the stadium applauded Argentina’s iconic No. 10, with Benin’s players also joining the tribute. More than 85,000 supporters attended the farewell, while former Argentina players and members of the country’s World Cup-winning generations were also part of the celebrations. Messi leaves international football with an extraordinary legacy. He helped Argentina win the Copa América in 2021 and 2024 before achieving his biggest international ambition by lifting the World Cup in Qatar in 2022. He finishes his Argentina career with 126 goals in 208 appearances and remains one of the most decorated players in football history. Although his international career has come to an end, Messi will continue playing at club level with Inter Miami.