Lionel Messi crowned his glittering Argentina career in fitting fashion, scoring against Benin on an emotional night in Buenos Aires.
At 39, in his 208th and last international appearance, he slotted home a second-half penalty to claim his 126th goal for Argentina.
Earlier, he had set up goals for Nicolas Otamendi and Nico Paz in a comfortable 3-0 friendly victory.
Messi, who revealed his international retirement in August, completed the full 90 minutes before the sold-out crowd of 85,000 at the Monumental enjoyed a laser light show, live music, and presentations.
He also gave a speech to the crowd lasting almost 10 minutes, with some of his team-mates in tears as Messi confessed he did not want to leave the pitch.
His career will carry on at club level with Major League Soccer side Inter Miami, where his contract runs until the end of the 2028 season.
Throughout a night of celebration in the Argentine capital, Messi was frequently visibly touched by the occasion.
The former Barcelona and Paris St-Germain forward was captured wiping away tears on the coach ride to the stadium and again seemed overwhelmed with emotion during a stirring rendition of the national anthem.
Ahead of kick-off, a stunning firework display welcomed the players onto the pitch, while a giant Argentina shirt—featuring Messi’s famous number 10 and the word ‘gracias’ (thank you)—stretched across the field.
Ten minutes in, shortly after Messi had come close to scoring from the edge of the box, play was halted once more for additional fireworks, another standing ovation for Messi, and handshakes from every Benin player.
After the fanfare died down, Messi was, as usual, at the center of everything Argentina did going forward, watching two free kicks saved well, twice spurning glorious chances from inside the six-yard box, and then striking the post late on.
When he made his announcement in August, Messi said the choice to retire “hurt” but that “the time has come.”
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner said he had written his retirement message on 21 July, two days after Argentina’s defeat by Spain in this summer’s World Cup final.
Messi made his Argentina debut in 2005, coming on as a 63rd-minute substitute in a 2-1 friendly victory over Hungary. Yet he was sent off with a straight red card less than a minute later, after swinging his arm and catching full-back Vilmos Vanczak with his elbow.
Despite that difficult beginning on the international stage, Messi went on to become one of the greatest of all time, lifting the World Cup and two Copa America titles with Argentina.
He ranks second in World Cup scoring history with 21, behind France’s Kylian Mbappe (22), and second for goals in all internationals (125), behind his great contemporary and rival, Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo (146).
Several of Messi’s current and former team-mates paid tribute to him on social media in the build-up to the match.
Neymar, who played alongside the Argentina forward at both Barcelona and PSG, said, “It’s not only Argentina that thanks you; the world thanks you for everything you have done for football.”
He added, “Thank you for making me love football even more. It was an honor for me to have played against you and even more so to make history alongside you.”
Rodrigo De Paul, Messi’s close friend and teammate at both the international and club levels, said, “He made me grow not only as a footballer but also as a person.
“I became a better person, a better human being, a better athlete, a better father, and a better friend.
“I want to tell him that I love him. He knows that he is my brother and that he has an enormous heart.”
Ex-Argentina teammate Angel di Maria said, “Seeing him with so much happiness, and that tranquility of knowing that he gave everything he had, is what makes us all happy.
“I thank him for life.”
