Messi Signs Off Argentina Career with Goal and Two Assists Against Benin
Lionel Messi brought his Argentina career to a close with a goal and two assists as the world champions beat Benin 3-0 at a full Estadio Monumental. The Inter Miami forward converted a penalty in the 71st minute, taking his international total to 126 goals and providing a fitting conclusion to 21 years with the Albiceleste.
The 39-year-old had announced in August that he would retire from international football, and addressed supporters on the pitch after the final whistle in Buenos Aires. His farewell came with Argentina still processing their defeat by Spain in the 2026 World Cup final, and Messi used the occasion to reject suggestions that there had been anything unusual behind the result.
Messi said the squad had given everything in the final and asked supporters not to doubt the commitment of the players. He pointed to the physical and emotional burden created by the preceding match against England, saying Argentina had arrived at the final exhausted but had competed with their usual resolve, even if they could not retain the title.
He also urged the country to remain behind the group as it enters a new era. Messi said successful sides are founded on unity and warned against those who would welcome failure for the national team, insisting Argentina should not allow outside voices to damage its togetherness.
An emotional farewell in Buenos Aires
The occasion carried additional personal weight for Messi, whose father Jorge died in August aged 68. Holding back tears, he said his father was the first person on his mind and thanked Argentina supporters for allowing him to wear the shirt for two decades. He said he had never stopped working, competing or wanting to represent his country.
Messi reflected on the chance to play across Argentina during his career and described the prospect of no longer returning to the national set-up as deeply painful. Representing the country at home, he said, had been among the greatest experiences football could offer.
Argentina must now move forward without the player who defined its modern era, while preserving the collective spirit Messi highlighted in his final address. For him, the immediate focus returns to Inter Miami, but his international record, his 126 goals and the standards set across 21 years will remain a formidable reference point for the next generation.
