Lionel Messi Retires From Argentina International Football
Lionel Messi officially brought an end to his legendary international career on Tuesday night, leading Argentina to a 3-0 victory over Benin in an emotional farewell match at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires. The 39-year-old captain delivered a characteristic masterclass in his 208th and final appearance for La Albiceleste, scoring a 71st-minute penalty and providing two assists before a sold-out crowd.
Following the final whistle, a drone show and stadium-wide tributes honored the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, who wept during the national anthem and later described his retirement from international duty as “the saddest day of my career” while expressing profound gratitude for his two decades representing the national team. According to an official news report published by The Hindu, the ceremony marked the formal conclusion of a historic run that transformed Messi’s international legacy.
Messi leaves the international stage as Argentina’s undisputed all-time leader in both caps and goals, finishing his international tenure with 126 goals and 68 assists. After experiencing years of near-misses and heartbreak—including final defeats at the 2014 FIFA World Cup alongside back-to-back Copa América losses in 2015 and 2016—Messi anchored an unprecedented era of national success under head coach Lionel Scaloni.
He captained Argentina to the 2021 Copa América title, the 2022 Finalissima, and the historic 2022 FIFA World Cup trophy in Qatar before securing a second Copa América championship in 2024. Scaloni confirmed that the team’s iconic number 10 shirt will temporarily remain unassigned as the squad transitions into a new chapter under newly designated captain Cristian Romero.
