Lionel Messi bade an emotional farewell to the Argentina national team on October 7, 2026, playing his final match for the Albiceleste in a 3-0 friendly victory against Benin at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, as reported by corriere.it.
The fixture drew 85,000 spectators to the stadium to witness the conclusion of an international career spanning more than two decades, gazzetta.it noted. Messi contributed a goal from a penalty kick—his 126th for the national team—alongside two assists, capping off an era that included a World Cup victory as captain.
Tears and Tributes at the Estadio Monumental
The evening combined public celebration with deep personal reflection for the forward. Corriere.it detailed that Messi shed tears while riding the team bus to the stadium, using a white handkerchief to greet fans gathered along the route from the Ezeiza headquarters. The match was described as an last tango
—referencing the 1941 Rodolfo Biagi composition Tears and smiles
—as fans watched from Italy in the early hours of the morning.
Messi stood embraced by his three sons while his wife, Antonela, watched from the stands. Before kickoff, Benin captain Sessi D’Almeida presented Messi with a golden statuette depicting a warrior with arms and armor, honoring the Dahomey Amazons as a symbol of strength and courage, gazzetta.it reported. The gift was accompanied by a letter honoring his athletic courage.
On-Pitch Action and Milestone Statistics
On the field, the match maintained a low, commemorative tempo against Benin, ranked 93rd globally, gazzetta.it noted. In the first half, an emotionally charged Messi squandered several scoring opportunities, including a bicycle kick, and struggled with passing precision. The Albiceleste broke the deadlock in the second half when Nicolás Otamendi headed in a corner kick delivered by Messi.
Como midfielder Nico Paz then entered the match, received a pass from Messi, and scored with a precise left-footed strike into the corner. Shortly after, Messi converted from the penalty spot to notch his 126th international goal. Sportmediaset highlighted that the forward finished his international career with 208 appearances and a World Cup trophy as captain, calling the farewell the dribbling most difficult of Leo Messi.
Passing the Torch and Final Address
Following the final whistle, the Buenos Aires night sky illuminated with a light show projecting career milestones across the stadium. Addressing the crowd, Messi expressed his sorrow and gratitude:
It’s hard to talk, I have so many emotions, so many things come to mind, obviously the first thing I think of is my father. It has been a great source of pride for me to wear this jersey for these more than 20 years.
he told the stadium, dedicating his thoughts to his late father, Jorge, who passed away on August 8 at age 68—a loss that heavily influenced his decision to step down from international football following the finale lost to Spain at the last World Cup. Messi later added, I don’t want to leave here, I don’t want to leave this camp.
Sky TG24 recalled that Messi’s international journey began on August 17, 2005, in a friendly against Hungary, where he received a red card just a minute after entering the pitch as a substitute—with current manager Lionel Scaloni among the teammates who consoled him that day. The broadcast of this final appearance was exclusive to SkySport, SkyGo, and NOW.
How many goals did Lionel Messi record for Argentina?
How many total goals and appearances did Lionel Messi record for Argentina?
Messi finished his 21-year career with the Albiceleste with 126 goals, 67 assists, and 208 appearances, according to gazzetta.it.
What specific tribute did Benin present to Messi before the match?
Benin captain Sessi D’Almeida presented Messi with a golden statuette of a warrior with arms and armor, representing the historical Dahomey Amazons, alongside an accompanying letter honoring his athletic courage, gazzetta.it reported.
Who managed Argentina during Messi’s final international appearance?
Lionel Scaloni managed the national team during the October 7, 2026 fixture against Benin, capping a partnership that secured the 2021 Copa América and a World Cup, as noted by corriere.it.
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