Lionel Messi got the farewell he deserved. The 39-year-old scored one goal and set up two others as Argentina beat Benin 3-0 at a sold-out Estadio Monumental on Tuesday night, bringing down the curtain on a 21-year international career that has no equal.
It was, in every sense, The Last Tango — and it unfolded exactly the way the man himself would have wanted it. Messi's final act in an Argentina shirt was a penalty in the 71st minute, crashed home to make it 3-0, and moments later the 85,000-strong crowd rose to serenade their departing captain with one last chorus of 'Messi, Messi, Messi' as a drone show lit up the Buenos Aires sky.
A Master Class One Last Time
It had been a tense, goalless first half. Benin, ranked 89th in the world and coached by former Nigeria boss Gernot Rohr, refused to play the role of passive guests — Aiyegun Tosin and Junior Olaitan both passed up chances to give the visitors a shock lead, while Argentina's Emi Martínez was forced into two saves late in the half.
Messi had gone close himself, curling a trademark free kick that Benin goalkeeper Marcel Dandjinou turned away, and he was inches from connecting with a Lautaro Martínez cross at the far post. But the breakthrough, when it came, was pure Messi.
Within three minutes of the restart, he swung in a corner that Nicolás Otamendi — his team-mate across 17 years and four World Cups — volleyed home for the opener. It was a fitting assist: Otamendi was also playing his final international match. Then Messi picked out Nico Paz, the 22-year-old seen by many as the natural heir to Argentina's No. 10 shirt, and the youngster curled home barely a minute after coming on. Reuters described a final bow that was 'less about football and more a national celebration of Messi's service to the national team', while Flashscore hailed a second half that broke Benin's stout block wide open.
The Fairytale Penalty
The crowning moment arrived in the 71st minute. Agustín Giay was wiped out in the area by Tamimou Ouorou, and there was never any doubt who would take it. Messi stepped up and buried the penalty — his 126th international goal, sealed against Benin, the one side among 45 nations he had never scored against until Tuesday night.
At the final whistle, team-mates, opponents and even the referee gathered around the captain for embraces. The numbers are now etched in history: 208 caps, 126 goals and 69 assists — a record haul for Argentina that may never be touched. Only Cristiano Ronaldo's 146 goals stand above him in the men's international all-time charts.
The Saddest Day of His Career
The football was only half the story. This was a night of pure emotion at the Monumental, where Argentina played its first game after the 2022 World Cup triumph.
Hours before kickoff, a giant No. 10 shirt emblazoned with 'Gracias' was laid out at midfield. When the match reached the 10th minute, play was halted so fans, team-mates and opponents alike could give the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner a minute-long standing ovation.
Messi had wiped away tears earlier as the team bus made its way from the training centre bearing his name, crowds lining the route. He walked out alongside his three children, with his wife Antonela Roccuzzo and mother Celia Cuccittini watching from a VIP box — a scene USA Today noted had the Monumental in tears long before kickoff. Before kickoff, Malvinas War veteran Fabio Santana sang the national anthem to a thunderous reception.
What Next for the GOAT?
Messi's club career continues — he is expected to be back in action on Saturday when Inter Miami host D.C. United. But the Argentina chapter, 21 years and two World Cup finals long, is closed.
Argentina now look to the future. The sweep of Bolivia and Burkina Faso earlier this month, with young talents like Nico Paz and José Manuel López among the scorers, suggested the torch-passing has already begun. But one small question lingers over the Albiceleste: who inherits the number 10?
For now, though, the focus was simply on saying goodbye — and Messi's final message said everything. 'I leave in peace. I gave everything.' On Tuesday night, the Monumental finally got to say thank you.
Beyond the Final Whistle: From a teenage debut against Hungary in 2005 to World Cup glory and a tearful last dance 21 years later, Lionel Messi gave Argentina everything — 208 caps, 126 goals and a lifetime of joy. He went out the only way he knew how: with a goal, two assists, and a stadium on its feet. Read our pre-match preview of Messi's farewell night for the full build-up to the occasion. What is your favourite Messi moment in the Argentina shirt? Tell us in the comments.
