Wednesday, October 7, 2026 - Argentina has officially said goodbye to Lionel Messi after the superstar played his final match for the national team in an emotional 3-0 victory over Benin at Buenos Aires’ Monumental Stadium.
More than 85,000 fans packed the venue as Messi, 39, delivered one final masterclass, assisting Nicolás Otamendi and Nico Paz before scoring a late penalty for his 126th international goal.
The farewell closes a remarkable 21-year international career in which Messi became Argentina’s most-capped player, with 208 appearances, and its all-time leading scorer.
His national-team career included Copa América triumphs and the 2022 World Cup, transforming his relationship with Argentine fans and cementing his status as one of the country's defining sporting figures.
Messi became visibly emotional after the final whistle as teammates, fans and even members of the Benin team gathered to honour him.
Messi’s departure creates a major new chapter for Argentina as the national team prepares to move forward without its iconic No. 10. He will continue his club career with Inter Miami, but the sight of Messi leading Argentina will now belong to football’s memories.
For a country that spent two decades watching him carry its expectations, the final whistle at the Monumental was more than the end of a match—it was the closing of an era.
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