playESPN News ServicesMultiple AuthorsOct 6, 2026, 09:28 PM ETOpen Extended ReactionsLionel Messi marked his 208th and final game for Argentina with his 126th goal as his country bid an emotional farewell to the global icon.Tuesday’s friendly against Benin in Buenos Aires had been dubbed “the last tango” as Messi played his last game in international soccer after 21 years, two Copa América titles and a World Cup.The script called for at least one more goal from Messi, and the 39-year-old duly delivered. With a wave of his left foot, he emphatically dispatched a penalty into the roof of the net in the 71st minute, cuing up the sold-out crowd at the Estadio Monumental to rejoice with a collective chant of “Messi, Messi.””I would love to keep coming back forever, because playing for the Argentine national team is the most beautiful thing that can happen to you. The most beautiful thing,” Messi said as he addressed the crowd following the final whistle.For a time, it appeared as though Messi might exit the stage without giving the crowd what they wanted most, after snatching at some earlier chances.But Messi has always been more than just a goal scorer, and he provided two assists for Argentina’s other goals in a 3-0 win, delivering a corner for Nicolás Otamendi to head in in the 48th minute and supplying a pass for Nico Paz to curl impressively into the net.Following the final whistle, the sky above the Monumental was lit up by a drone show highlighting moments from Messi’s career, including the most famous of image of all — holding the World Cup trophy in Qatar in 2022.The Monumental was a fitting venue for Messi’s farewell — the stadium where he scored the most goals in his international career (19) and where he and Argentina returned to celebrate their first World Cup triumph since 1986.”I experienced one of the happiest days of my career here, the day we returned for our first match after the World Cup,” he said. “I will never forget what I witnessed that day; it was the most beautiful thing that ever happened to me.”His words brought tears to countless faces in the crowd and to his teammates gathered around him.”Now, inevitably, I face the saddest day of my career: saying goodbye to the national team,” he continued.
“Goodbye to all of you. I’m going to miss you; I’m going to miss defending the national team’s colors, but now I’ll be right there alongside you, supporting these guys and everyone who comes after them. Always, always united.”The emotion began before kickoff.Messi was pictured in tears as the Argentina team bus made its way through the throngs of fans lining the route to the Estadio Monumental.And more tears flowed, from both Messi and coach Lionel Scaloni, as the Argentinian anthem sounded for the final time with Messi — accompanied by his sons Thiago, Mateo and Ciro — part of the lineup.”We can put together a great squad with the new guys coming up, but I’ve never seen that aura in anyone else in my life,” Scaloni said about Messi after the match.”That presence he creates won’t be there anymore. We’ll look for new ways forward, but that feeling will be gone.
Having enjoyed the experience of coaching him was incredible, and now we have to carry on without him.”Further evidence that the game was secondary on this night came when the action paused in the 10th minute as the whole stadium applauded Argentina’s legendary No. 10 while Benin players took turns shaking Messi’s hand.”Come, come, sing with me, and a friend you’ll find; hand in hand with Leo Messi, we’ll all celebrate the victory,” the crowd sang to him.Messi announced his international retirement in the weeks following the World Cup final loss to Spain, saying, “The time has come.”The Argentine Football Association tempted him to make one last appearance for “the farewell he deserves.” More than 85,000 tickets to Buenos Aires’ largest stadium sold out in 90 minutes, later fetching over $2,500 on resale sites. Players from Argentina’s 1978, 1986 and 2022 World Cup-winning squads, along with their families, joined the tribute.”I just want to tell you that I love you and I’ll miss you,” Messi said. “I’m proud to be Argentine and to have fulfilled this dream with all of you. Thank you so much.”Messi just fell short of winning back-to-back World Cups when defending champion Argentina was beaten by Spain 1-0 in the final in July in New Jersey.”The last World Cup took a massive toll, everything I went through,” he said Tuesday.
“We had a dream, my dream and the whole country’s dream, of becoming world champions again.”However, the runner-up finish didn’t overshadow his remarkable performance in the tournament — featuring eight goals and four assists.His contribution was so pivotal that Messi has once again entered the conversation for the Ballon d’Or, competing against the two top contenders to succeed him: Spaniard Lamine Yamal and Frenchman Kylian Mbappé.The Argentine star remains the only footballer to have won the award eight times.Just weeks following the World Cup, Messi’s father, Jorge, who also served as his son’s agent and managed his business affairs throughout his career, died in Argentina at the age of 68. As he took the microphone Tuesday, Messi said it was his father that he was thinking of most.Messi achieved his ultimate ambition of leading his country to victory four years earlier in Qatar, emulating fellow Argentine great Diego Maradona.He finishes as Argentina’s leading scorer and appearance holder. Only Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo (146 in 234 games) has more games or goals in men’s international history.Messi scored 21 goals in the World Cup, appearing in a record-tying six tournaments along with his great rival Ronaldo.Messi briefly retired from Argentina duty in 2016, then enjoyed his most successful period with the national team, winning Copa Américas in 2021 and ’24, as well as the ’22 World Cup.He is continuing at club level with Inter Miami and recently won the Campeones Cup, his fourth trophy with the MLS team.ESPN’s Lizzy Becherano and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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