Messi Argentina farewell ended in style as the captain scored and provided two assists in Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Benin

Lionel Messi brought his remarkable 21-year international career to an emotional close on Tuesday night, scoring one goal and providing two assists as Argentina defeated Benin 3-0 at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires.

Also read: Messi Makes Emotional Final Promise as Argentina Career Ends

The farewell fixture on October 6, 2026, marked Messi’s final appearance for Argentina, with more than 85,000 supporters gathering to celebrate the departure of one of the greatest players in the history of the game.

Messi was at the heart of everything Argentina produced in his final outing, directly contributing to all three goals as the world champions secured a fitting victory.

The 39-year-old first set up Nicolás Otamendi for the opening goal from a corner in the 48th minute before creating Argentina’s second for Nico Paz in the 61st minute.

Messi then completed the scoring from the penalty spot in the 71st minute, adding one final goal to an extraordinary international record.

His performance meant he finished the night with a goal and two assists, providing a memorable final chapter to a career that has spanned more than two decades.

Speaking after the match, Messi struggled to put the occasion into words.

“It’s hard to talk,” he said, according to Reuters.

“There are a lot of emotions, a lot of things going through my head.”

Reflecting on his long association with the Argentina shirt, Messi described representing his country as a source of immense pride.

“It was a huge source of pride for me to wear this shirt all this time, more than 20 years,” he said.

“Playing for Argentina is the most beautiful thing that can happen to you.”

Messi leaves the national team as Argentina’s most-capped player, having made 208 appearances. He is also the country’s record goalscorer with 126 goals.

His final match had been formally designated as his farewell appearance by FIFA, with Argentine Football Association president Claudio Tapia previously describing the occasion as a deserved send-off for the country’s captain and national-team icon.

The fixture also carried a Nigerian connection through Benin coach Gernot Rohr.

The German previously managed Nigeria at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, when the Super Eagles faced Argentina and Messi in Russia.

Eight years later, Rohr found himself on the opposite side of another Messi farewell, this time leading Benin in a friendly that marked the Argentine superstar’s final international appearance.

“It’s a big honour for us and also for me like a coach to play this last game of Leo Messi in his national team,” Rohr said before the match.

Benin had approached the occasion competitively despite the significance surrounding Messi’s farewell.

Goalkeeper Marcel Dandjinou had insisted before the match that his team would not travel to Argentina simply to participate in the celebrations.

“This is football: eleven against eleven,” Dandjinou told Marca.

“We are not here to do tourism in Argentina, we are here to play and compete.”

He also made clear that he would attempt to stop Messi if the opportunity arose, including from the penalty spot.

“Nobody has told us that we have to give him a goal,” Dandjinou said.

Ultimately, Messi found the net anyway, rounding off a remarkable farewell in front of an adoring home crowd.

Argentina’s victory brought down the curtain on an international career defined by records, major trophies and an enduring connection with the country’s supporters.

Also read: Messi Makes Emotional Final Promise as Argentina Career Ends

For Messi, the final whistle in Buenos Aires marked the end of his journey as an Argentina player, but his legacy with the national team is firmly established.