Lionel Messi brought the curtain down on his extraordinary 21-year international career on Tuesday night, delivering one final masterclass in Argentina’s famous blue and white shirt. The 39-year-old scored a goal and provided two assists in Argentina’s 3-0 friendly victory over Benin, in a match billed as “The Last Tango” at a packed Estadio Monumental.
The night was less about football and more a national celebration of Messi’s service to Argentina. Landmarks across Buenos Aires glowed in the team’s sky blue and white colours, while fireworks lit up the skies above the heaving stadium as more than 85,000 fans poured their hearts into a rendition of the national anthem.
A Night of Tributes
The emotional evening began hours before kick-off, when a massive number 10 shirt emblazoned with “Gracias” was unfurled at the National Flag Memorial in Rosario, Messi’s hometown. As the team bus travelled from the training centre bearing his name, Messi wiped away tears as thousands lined the route, seeking one last snapshot of their hero.
Before the match, thousands lined the streets tracking Messi’s final bus journey to the national stadium. A helicopter carrying another huge No. 10 jersey flew through the skies of Rosario ahead of his farewell.
When the teams took the pitch, Benin captain Sessi D’Almeida looked lost for words as he handed Messi a gift and letter during the pre-match handshake. Messi was joined on the field for the national anthem by his sons Thiago, Mateo and Ciro, while his wife Antonela Roccuzzo and mother Celia watched proudly from the stands. Argentine coach Lionel Scaloni’s eyes moistened during the anthem as he witnessed the moment.
The 10th Minute Standing Ovation
The match was halted in the 10th minute — a tribute to Messi’s famous shirt number — as the entire stadium rose for a minute-long standing ovation. Pyrotechnics went off to mark the moment, and Benin players joined the celebration, embracing Messi and clasping his hand. The tribute was so overwhelming that video footage later emerged of Messi appearing to shed tears on the team bus, overwhelmed by the reception.
The Match: Messi’s Final Masterclass
The actual match was far from a cakewalk, as Benin — ranked No. 89 in the world — gave a commendable account of themselves. The visitors defended well and generated real threat on the counter, forcing Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez to make some important saves in the first half. Argentina played at their usual slow pace and didn’t get out of first gear, but still created several good chances that Messi narrowly missed late in the first half. The game was goalless at the break.
The fun was saved for the final period. Messi’s first goal contribution of the night was an assist from a corner that was scored by Nicolás Otamendi with an acrobatic volley. His second assist came shortly after, as he set up a beautiful Nico Paz strike from outside the box. The moment the entire world was waiting for arrived with 20 minutes to go, as Argentina earned a penalty, and Messi scored a beauty from the spot to find the net for the final time in the Albiceleste shirt.
Otamendi, who shared 17 years with Messi in the national team including four World Cups, was also ending his international career with his 140th and final appearance.
Messi’s Farewell Speech
At the final whistle, teammates, opponents and the referee gathered around Messi for embraces before a drone show lit up the sky, forming the words “Gracias Leo” above the Monumental. The tribute moved Messi’s wife Antonela Roccuzzo to tears, who responded to an emotional video shared by the Argentine Football Association on her Instagram Stories with three crying-face emojis.
“Even through the worst moments we went through, I never stopped fighting, battling, giving everything I had, wanting to always be here,” Messi told the crowd after full-time. “I love all of you, and I will miss all of you. I am proud to be Argentine”.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner had earlier revealed that he had written his retirement message on 21 July, two days after Argentina lost to Spain in this summer’s World Cup final. In his retirement announcement, Messi said: “I gave it my all; I have nothing left to give, and besides, there are great young players coming up who deserve their chance”.
A Remarkable International Career
Messi closes his international career with 126 goals and 69 assists in 208 appearances for Argentina — both records for his country. His 126 goals are the second-most in men’s international football history, behind longtime rival Cristiano Ronaldo’s 146. He finishes as South America’s all-time leading international goalscorer.
His international trophy cabinet includes the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, two Copa America titles in 2021 and 2024, and a Finalissima in 2022. He also finished as World Cup runner-up twice, in 2014 and 2026, and won the Golden Ball in 2014 and 2022, as well as the Silver Ball in 2026.
Messi appeared at a record six World Cups — in 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 and 2026 — and finished with an overall World Cup tally of 21 goals.
His first appearance for Argentina came on 17 August 2005, a time before the iPhone, Instagram or Uber existed, and when Mariah Carey was on a 10-week stretch at the top of the Billboard charts. There are generations of Argentines who have never known a national team without Messi.
Tributes from the Football World
In the build-up to the game, tributes flowed from across the football world. Messi received an honorary doctorate from the University of Buenos Aires. Adidas altered the profile pictures on their many social media accounts, mirroring the “No. 10 Gracias” message seen on the playing field. Ronaldinho, the Brazilian icon and Messi’s former teammate at Barcelona, wrote on social media that Messi had “made us smile” and “etched” his name into the history of not only his country, but “the whole world.” Neymar, who played with Messi at Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, thanked Messi for “making me love football even more”.
The Road to Buenos Aires
Messi’s relationship with Argentina was complicated but ultimately triumphant. After years of criticism and heartbreaking defeats — including the 2014 World Cup final loss to Germany and two Copa America final defeats in 2015 and 2016 — he briefly retired from international football in 2016 before returning to lead Argentina to a remarkable era of success.
What’s Next for Messi?
While his Argentina career has come to an end, Messi’s time in the spotlight is not over. FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta has confirmed that the club is actively preparing a monumental tribute ceremony for Messi once the redevelopment of the Spotify Camp Nou is fully completed. Laporta stated: “We are planning for the Leo Messi tribute once the Spotify Camp Nou is completed. It will be a beautiful tribute. We hope to complete the stadium by the start of 2028”.
The tribute aims to provide a proper farewell to the club’s greatest-ever player, whose departure in 2021 occurred without a formal stadium send-off due to strict La Liga financial regulations. The expanded stadium will have a seating capacity of 105,000 spectators.
As the final whistle blew on Tuesday night and the words “Gracias Leo” appeared above the Monumental, Argentina gave its legendary No. 10 one final message: thank you. The football may have provided the setting, but the farewell was ultimately about gratitude — for two decades of brilliance, for a World Cup triumph, and for a boy from Rosario who became the greatest to ever play the game.
