Lionel Messi played his final match for the Argentina national team in a friendly against Benin at a packed Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires. The 39-year-old captain delivered a decisive performance in the 3-0 victory, scoring a penalty and recording two assists in his farewell appearance.
Organizers staged a symbolic tribute in the 10th minute, pausing the match for 60 seconds in honor of Messi’s iconic squad number. Amid a standing ovation from the crowd, players from Benin also walked over to shake his hand.
From Tears to Triumphs: First and Last Match
The send-off stood in sharp contrast to the start of his international career in August 2005 against Hungary. Making his senior debut at 18 as a second-half substitute, Messi received a red card just 43 seconds after stepping onto the pitch for an elbow foul. He left the field in tears, convinced he would never receive another call-up.
Two decades later, the forward exited the pitch to nationwide applause as a celebrated national icon.
Lionel Messi: Career Statistics
Messi made 208 appearances for Argentina, scoring 126 goals and providing 67 assists. He departs the national team having won every major international honor, including the World Cup, two Copa América titles, and an Olympic gold medal.
Club Career: The Next Chapter
While his international tenure has concluded, Messi will continue playing club football. After leaving Argentina as a teenager to join FC Barcelona’s academy, he spent over two decades in Catalonia, winning ten La Liga titles and four Champions League trophies. Following two seasons at Paris Saint-Germain starting in 2021, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner signed with MLS club Inter Miami in 2023, where he remains active.
Messi has also moved into club ownership, acquiring stakes in two Spanish teams: CD Eldense (Elda, Alicante province), which plays in Spain’s Segunda División, and UE Cornellà from Baix Llobregat in Barcelona province, competing in the fifth tier.
