Lionel Messi has ended his remarkable international career with Argentina in unforgettable fashion, scoring a goal and providing two assists as the world champions defeated Benin 3–0 in an emotional farewell at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires. The 39-year-old Inter Miami captain brought the curtain down on a 21-year international career in front of […]

Lionel Messi has ended his remarkable international career with Argentina in unforgettable fashion, scoring a goal and providing two assists as the world champions defeated Benin 3–0 in an emotional farewell at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.

The 39-year-old Inter Miami captain brought the curtain down on a 21-year international career in front of more than 85,000 passionate supporters, delivering the kind of performance that has defined his time with the Argentine national team.

Messi was directly involved in all three of Argentina’s goals.

He first delivered the corner that Nicolás Otamendi converted in the 48th minute before setting up Nico Paz for Argentina’s second goal in the 61st minute. Messi then completed the scoring himself when he converted a penalty in the 71st minute.

The victory gave Messi a fitting ending to his international career, which began more than two decades ago and included some of the biggest achievements in Argentine football history.

Messi finishes his Argentina career as the country’s most-capped player and all-time leading scorer, with 208 appearances and 126 goals for the national team.

His international journey included the 2021 and 2024 Copa América titles, the 2022 Finalissima and, most importantly, Argentina’s 2022 FIFA World Cup triumph in Qatar.

For many years, Messi’s relationship with Argentina was complicated. Despite his extraordinary success with Barcelona, he faced intense criticism whenever Argentina failed to win major international tournaments.
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That changed dramatically after Argentina finally ended its long wait for a major senior trophy at the 2021 Copa América. The 2022 World Cup triumph in Qatar further cemented Messi’s status as one of the most important figures in the country’s football history.

His final appearance was therefore less about the result and more about celebrating an era.

The packed Monumental Stadium erupted in tribute to Messi, with supporters giving him a standing ovation and celebrating his contribution to the national team.

Messi was visibly emotional before and after the match. Speaking to supporters, he reflected on the significance of wearing the Argentina shirt for more than 20 years and said representing his country had been a source of enormous pride.

The farewell also came at an emotional time for Messi personally following the recent death of his father, a loss he referenced while speaking about the emotions surrounding his final Argentina appearance.

Although Messi has now retired from international football, his playing career is not over.

The Argentine superstar remains with Inter Miami, having recently signed a contract extension that will keep him at the Major League Soccer club through the end of the 2028 MLS season.

That means football fans will continue to see Messi in club competition, even though his iconic number 10 shirt will no longer lead Argentina onto the international stage.

For Argentina, however, the end of Messi’s international career represents the closing of one of the greatest chapters in the country’s football history.

From the teenager who left Rosario for Barcelona to the captain who eventually lifted the World Cup, Messi’s journey with Argentina has come full circle.

And on his final night in the famous blue and white shirt, he left the same way he spent much of his career — scoring, creating and giving Argentina supporters one more unforgettable memory.