Messi Bids Argentina Farewell with Goal and Two Assists
Lionel Messi closed the book on a 21-year international career on Tuesday night, scoring once and setting up two more as Argentina beat Benin 3-0 in a farewell friendly at a packed Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires. More than 85,000 fans turned out not so much for the football as for the occasion itself: a final send-off for the man who redefined what the Argentina shirt could mean.
The build-up carried the weight of a national event. Landmarks across the capital were lit in sky blue and white, fireworks filled the air above the stadium, and the crowd's rendition of the national anthem set the tone before a ball was even kicked. Earlier in the day, a giant No. 10 shirt reading "Gracias" was unfurled at the National Flag Memorial in Rosario, Messi's hometown, while thousands lined the streets as the team bus made its way from the training centre that now bears his name. pilot chicken spribe
An Emotional Goodbye
Messi struggled to find words afterward. "It's hard to talk," he said, with his family watching from the stands alongside World Cup-winning squad members from 1978, 1986 and 2022. He spoke of his late father, whose recent death clearly weighed on the occasion, and of the pride of wearing the Argentina shirt for more than two decades. "Not coming anymore is going to hurt a lot," he admitted, adding that playing for his country remained "the most beautiful thing that can happen to you."
One Last Show on the Pitch
The football, when it came, had its own storybook quality. After a goalless first half, Messi teed up Nicolas Otamendi - also winding down his own international career after 17 years and four World Cups alongside Messi - for the opener. He then set up Nico Paz, one of the young players tipped as a future heir to the No. 10 shirt, before converting a late penalty for his 126th international goal. Benin's captain had earlier handed Messi a gift and letter during the pre-match handshake, a gesture that underlined the universal respect for his career.
A Fitting Finale
At the final whistle, teammates, opponents and even the match officials gathered around Messi in a show of mutual respect rarely seen at the end of a friendly. A drone display lit the night sky, and Argentine singer Soledad Pastorutti performed as part of the tribute. Messi departs as his country's most-capped player with 208 appearances and its all-time leading scorer, having turned years of near misses into World Cup and Copa America glory. On Tuesday, Argentina was no longer asking Messi for anything - it was simply saying thank you.
