Lionel Messi turned his Messi farewell match into another unforgettable night, scoring once and creating two goals as Argentina defeated Benin 3-0 in Buenos Aires.
The 39-year-old captain played his final international game on Tuesday at the packed Monumental Stadium.
More than 85,000 fans gathered to watch the Argentine icon make his final appearance in the famous blue and white shirt.
Messi delivered exactly the kind of performance his supporters wanted.
Messi farewell match ends in spectacular fashion
Argentina struggled to break Benin’s resistance in the first half.
The breakthrough came shortly after the restart.
Messi delivered the corner that led to Nicolás Otamendi’s opening goal in the 48th minute.
He then played a key role in Argentina’s second goal. Nico Paz doubled the advantage in the 61st minute after another Messi contribution.
The biggest moment came 10 minutes later.
Messi stepped up to take a penalty and calmly found the net in the 71st minute.
His goal completed Argentina’s 3-0 victory and gave the captain the perfect ending to his international career.
Emotional night for Argentina legend
The farewell was about more than the result.
Messi became emotional before kick-off as thousands of supporters filled the Monumental to honour him.
The crowd also staged a special tribute during the match. The game was paused in the 10th minute, reflecting Messi’s iconic shirt number, as fans applauded and celebrated his career.
The stadium later erupted into more celebrations, with fireworks and a drone display adding to the emotional occasion.
Messi’s family watched from the stands alongside members of Argentina’s past World Cup-winning teams.
Messi closes 21-year international career
The final appearance brought an end to more than two decades of international football for Messi.
He made his Argentina debut in 2005 and went on to become the country’s most-capped player.
The Benin match took his international appearances to 208 and his goals to 126.
His Argentina career also produced the biggest trophies in the country’s recent history.
Messi led Argentina to the 2021 and 2024 Copa América titles. He also captained the team to the 2022 FIFA World Cup trophy.
He leaves the national team as its leading scorer and appearance holder.
Messi still has club football ahead
Although his international career is over, Messi is not retiring from football.
The Argentine remains an Inter Miami player in Major League Soccer.
His final appearance for Argentina therefore marks the end of one chapter rather than the end of his playing career.
For Argentina, however, the goodbye was historic.
Messi walked off the international stage with a goal, two assists and another victory.
It was a fitting final performance for the player who has carried the nation’s hopes for more than 21 years.