Toronto Star
· collected 2026-10-07 · by Débora Rey The Associated Press
Lionel Messi turned his official farewell to Argentina into a gala performance, contributing a penalty and two assists in a 3-0 win over Benin on Tuesday at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires, where the crowd offered a deafening final ovation to the genius who defined the footballing pulse of a nation for two decades.
asserted
who → turn → decades
In front of 85,000 fans, the superstar capped off an international career spanning 21 years, 126 goals, a 2022 World Cup victory, and two Copa América titles.
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superstar → cap → years
“It was a source of great pride to wear this jersey for over 20 years,” Messi told the crowd, speaking into a microphone from the center of the pitch.
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Messi → wear → pitch
“I never stopped fighting, never stopped giving my all.
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I → stop → all
I would love to keep coming back forever, because playing for the Argentine national team is the most beautiful thing that can happen to you.”
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that → love → you
His teammates — many of them overcome with emotion — along with the coaching staff led by Lionel Scaloni and the fans, gave him a standing ovation.
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many → lead → ovation
“I’m going to miss you all.
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I → go → you
Now I’ll be on your side, supporting the national team and the guys who come next,” Messi promised.
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Messi → support → team
“When we’re united, we’re stronger than anyone and can overcome anything.
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we → ’re → anything
Tough times lie ahead, because what this group achieved won’t be easy to repeat.”
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achieved → lie → what
Following a corner kick taken by Messi, defender Nicolás Otamendi connected with a header to open the scoring in the 48th minute.
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Otamendi → follow → minute
Messi then provided an assist to young talent Nicolás Paz, who paid tribute to the star with an exquisite left-foot finish in the 61st.
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who → provide → 61st
Ten minutes later, Messi buried a left-foot penalty into the top corner, adding to his tally as the Albiceleste’s all-time leading scorer.
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Messi → bury → scorer
“Olé, olé, Messi,” the crowd chanted in his honor.
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crowd → chant → honor
Passing the torch
Despite still playing at a high level at age 39, Messi announced on Aug. 31 that the end of his time with Argentina was set.
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end → pass → Argentina
Messi played his final match — his 208th for Argentina — amid a spectacular fireworks display.
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Messi → play → display
He wore a special edition Albiceleste jersey featuring wider vertical stripes than the standard design, a giant sun, and a golden No. 10 on the back.
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He → wear → back
The back detail featured a goat’s horns in the print — a nod to the “GOAT,” referencing both the animal and his status as the “Greatest of All Time.”
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detail → feature → Time
Ten minutes after kickoff in the international friendly, the referee paused the match to honor the Argentine captain.
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referee → pause → captain
Rivals and teammates approached to greet him while fans rose for a standing ovation.
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fans → approach → ovation
Messi raised his hand in acknowledgment.
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Messi → raise → acknowledgment
After the match ended, he thanked his teammates for the titles they had won and left them with a directive: “We need to build a strong, united group because there are people who want the national team to fail, and we shouldn’t give them the satisfaction.”
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we → end → satisfaction
A successor to the legendary Diego Maradona, Messi made his senior national team debut in 2005.
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Messi → make → 2005
His journey was fraught with frustration until 2022, when he finally lifted the World Cup — a triumph that secured his place in the pantheon of the sport’s greatest players and cemented his status as a national hero in Argentina.
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that → lift → Argentina
Accompanied by his sons Thiago, Mateo, and Ciro, Messi was overcome with emotion as the Argentine national anthem played, sung by a veteran of the 1982 Falklands War.
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anthem → accompany → War
Goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez tried to comfort him by placing an arm around his shoulders.
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Martínez → try → shoulders
Devoted fans and moving tributes
“It’s not a goodbye, it’s a ‘farewell forever,’ Captain” — that was the message Rebeca Arias and Daniel Lema emblazoned on a hat designed for the occasion.
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Arias → devote → occasion
On the brim, they drew various depictions of Messi corresponding to each of the six World Cups he contested.
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he → draw → Cups
The young couple traveled more than 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from their native Tucumán to witness his final performance.
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couple → travel → performance
“We believe this is a unique moment.
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this → believe → ?
It’s all worth it — being here, making the journey we did.
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we → ’ → journey
Something like this might never happen again with a player,” Arias remarked.
uncertain
Arias → happen → player
In the last World Cup, Messi went close to another title, falling just short after a 1-0 defeat to Spain in the final.
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Messi → go → final
However, the runner-up finish didn’t overshadow his remarkable performance in the tournament — featuring eight goals and four assists.
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finish → overshadow → goals
“The match against England took a huge toll on us; the reality is that we were running on fumes,” he explained, referring to the dramatic 2-1 semifinal victory.
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he → take → victory
His contribution was so pivotal that Messi has once again entered the conversation for the Ballon d’Or, competing against the two top contenders to succeed him: Spaniard Lamine Yamal and Frenchman Kylian Mbappé.
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Messi → enter → him
The Argentine star remains the only footballer to have won the award eight times.
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star → remain → award
“I am proud to be Argentine and to have been able to fulfill this dream with all of you,” he concluded, before taking a solitary victory lap to cherish the fans’ final chants of “Messi, Messi.”
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he → fulfill → Messi
Messi receives honorary doctorate
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Messi → receive → doctorate
Before his farewell at the stadium, Messi received an honorary doctorate from the University of Buenos Aires (UBA), a public institution.
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Messi → receive → Aires
…and 2 more, not listed.
The Aporia
