The curtain came down on one of the most prominent marches in the history of football, when Argentine star Lionel Messi bid farewell to his country, playing his last international match today, Wednesday, at the Monumental Stadium in the capital, Buenos Aires. It ended with Argentina winning by three goals without a response, amid a crowd of more than 80,000 spectators.
Messi thus turned a page that spanned more than 21 years in the national team shirt, which led him to the podium and restore the glories of Argentine football.
The confrontation between Argentina and Benin was not just a friendly match, but rather turned into an exceptional occasion during which the fans celebrated their historic leader, and recalled the stages of a long journey that witnessed many challenges and failures, before it culminated in the 2022 Qatar World Cup, in fulfilling the greatest dream of Messi and successive generations of fans of the Argentine national team.
Since the hours before the start of the match, the “Monumental” stadium seemed to be preparing for an event that went beyond the boundaries of the green rectangle, after the fans gathered in the stands, raising pictures of Messi and chanting slogans bearing his name, while the No. 10 shirt dominated the scene, as it is the symbol that has been associated with the Argentine star throughout his years of brilliance with his country’s national team.
The festive atmosphere, which included fireworks and public performances, added a special character to the confrontation, at a time when the Argentine Football Association was keen to organize ceremonies worthy of the career of its leader, who became one of the most prominent symbols of the game in his country, and the record holder in terms of international participation and goals.
The most poignant scene was before the starting whistle, when Messi entered the field with his sons Thiago, Matteo and Ciro, in a moment filled with emotion, during which the national team captain was unable to hold back his tears, while his coach Lionel Scaloni, who accompanied the player in one of the most successful stages of his international career, was also clearly affected.
The Benin national team players participated in honoring Messi, in a gesture that reflected the appreciation that the Argentine star enjoys at the global level, before the start of the match that bore the number 208 in his international career, and his last in the shirt of his country’s national team.
The symbolism was not lost on the details of the match, as the confrontation stopped in the tenth minute, and the fans stood in salute to Messi, in reference to the number that was associated with his name and became a milestone in his football career. The player greeted the fans, amid warm applause that shook all parts of the stadium, in a scene that summarized the special relationship that unites him with fans of the Argentine national team.
Messi did not delay in leaving his mark after he provided two decisive passes in the first and second goals, so that the Argentine star continued his role in leading attacks and creating opportunities, before concluding the scene with a third goal bearing his personal signature.
In the 71st minute, Messi took a penalty kick, putting the ball into the net, adding the third goal for Argentina, and the 126th goal in his international career, amid celebrations from the fans and his teammates who realized that that moment represented more than just a goal in a friendly match.
Thus, Messi’s international end came in the way his fans had long been accustomed to; A goal scored in his name, assists that contributed to his country’s victory, and an influential presence in the details of the match, with the player participating in all three goals during his last appearance.
Between the start and the end whistle, the match was indirectly recalling the stages of Messi’s journey with the national team, which began in 2005, when he led the Argentine youth team to win the World Cup, and scored two goals in the victory over Nigeria in the final match, before playing his first match with the first team a few weeks later against Hungary.
Messi’s start with the first team was not ideal, after he was sent off a few seconds after coming on as a substitute in that match, in a scene that seemed completely far from what his career would lead to later, when he became the historic top scorer for the Argentine national team and its most participating player, and the leader of one of its most prominent football generations.
Despite his exceptional talent, Messi faced years of pressure and criticism due to his failure to win major titles with the first team, and that stage reached its peak in 2016, when the Argentine team lost the Copa America final to Chile on penalty kicks, and Messi missed one of the kicks, before announcing his retirement from international football, in a decision that did not last long after he later returned to defend the colors of his country.
With Lionel Scaloni assuming leadership of the national team, a new phase began in Messi’s international career, during which the features of the relationship between the player and the fans changed, after the national team succeeded in putting an end to the years of waiting, by winning the Copa America title in 2021, following the victory over Brazil at the Maracanã Stadium, so that Messi won his first major title with the first national team.
The achievements continued with him winning the “Finalissima” title in 2022, before the most prominent moment in his career came during the final of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, when he led Argentina to victory over France on penalty kicks, after a marathon match whose original and extra time ended in a draw with three goals for each, raising the cup at Lusail Stadium, and returning his country to the top of world football for the first time since 1986.
The coronation in Qatar represented a historic turning point in Messi’s career, after he crowned long years of waiting and work, and reformulated his relationship with the Argentine fans, who moved from criticizing him after previous failures to celebrating him as the leader who achieved the greatest dream.
Messi added the Copa America title in 2024 to his record with the national team, before competing in the 2026 World Cup finals, marking his sixth participation in the tournament, and leading Argentina to the final match, which the national team lost to Spain, making it the last stop in his World Cup journey.
After the end of the match against Benin, the farewell ceremony did not stop at the referee’s whistle, as Messi remained on the field among his teammates and exchanged hugs with them, while preparations continued to celebrate his career in scenes in which symbolism was mixed with loyalty.
The number 10 appeared in a huge design on the field, while drones in the sky of Buenos Aires painted a picture of Messi in the Argentine national team’s shirt, along with a large heart and the phrase, “Thank you, Argentina,” in a display that summarized the fans’ feelings toward the player whose name has been associated with the team’s most prominent achievements over the past two decades.
In his final speech to the fans, Messi was clearly moved, as he pointed out the difficulty of expressing his feelings at that moment, stressing that defending the national team’s shirt for more than twenty years represents a source of great pride for him, and that he always gave his utmost for Argentina, even in periods when the team faced great difficulties.
Messi said that not returning to the field in the national team’s shirt would be painful, stressing that playing with Argentina was one of the most beautiful experiences he had in his life, indicating that he would continue to support the national team from the stands and support the players during the next stage.
He added that returning to the Monumental Stadium, which witnessed the Argentine national team’s first match after winning the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, made the occasion even more special, in light of the overlapping feelings of joy over what was achieved over the past years with the sadness resulting from the end of his international career.
Messi stressed that he does not regret the timing of his decision to retire from international football, noting that the Argentine national team went through many stages during the past years, before achieving a set of major achievements.
As he finished his speech, fireworks returned to light up the sky of the stadium, before Messi and his family made a final round to greet the fans who greeted him with applause and cheers, while his teammates continued to celebrate him and stand by him.
In the final scene, Messi left the field, in the middle of a corridor of honor formed by the national team players who lined up to greet him and applaud him, concluding an exceptional night in the history of Argentine football.
Between the tears of the beginning and the embrace of the end, Messi turned a page that spanned more than 21 years, during which he played 208 international matches, scored 126 goals, and achieved the most prominent continental and international titles with his country, leaving a football legacy that goes beyond numbers and championships, after he transformed from a player who faced years of waiting to a leader who led Argentina towards international glory, and bid farewell to its shirt amidst a public greeting that will remain present in the memory of Argentine football.