Messi’s tearful farewell to the Argentina national team, ending 21 years of national team presence
After 21 years with the Argentina national team, Lionel Messi ended his international career with a 3-0 victory over Benin at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires.
Messi, 39, wore the Argentina jersey for the 208th time in this match and scored his 126th international goal from the penalty spot in the 71st minute. He had previously provided the assist for Argentina’s first goal for Nicolas Otamendi, who then scored the third goal.
Around 85,000 fans welcomed the captain of the Argentine national team at the stadium. Messi was wiping away tears even before the match started, as the team bus drove through the crowd of fans towards the stadium.
Messi entered the field with his three children, while his wife Antonella Roccuzzo and his mother Celia Cuccittini also watched the match from a special stand.
Before the game, a large Argentina national team jersey was placed on the field with the word “Gracias” written above Messi’s number 10; Messi was seen in tears during the national anthem, standing next to Falklands War veteran Fabio Santana.
In the 10th minute, the game was stopped in honor of Messi’s shirt number, and all the fans cheered him on for a minute; after the game, a drone display in the sky of the stadium displayed Messi’s image.
After Argentina’s defeat to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final, Messi said, “I gave it my all; I have nothing more to offer,” adding that young players deserve a chance.
Messi’s international career included winning the 2022 World Cup, two Copa America titles in 2021 and 2024, and runner-up finishes in the 2014 and 2026 World Cups.
