Lionel Messi announced his retirement from international football after playing his final game for Argentina against Benin, which ended in a 3-0 victory at the Monumental Stadium. In this match, Messi scored one goal and provided two assists before addressing the crowd to express gratitude and reflect on his 21-year career with the national team. Coach Lionel Scaloni praised Messi's unique abilities and emotional impact, expressing deep appreciation for having coached him.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-07,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Lionel Messi will play his final match for Argentina in a friendly against Benin on Tuesday, October 4, at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, marking the end of an era. The 39-year-old superstar, who has been with Argentina since 2005 and is the country's all-time leading scorer with 125 goals, will bid farewell to fans during this emotionally charged game expected to draw around 85,000 spectators.
Messi’s legacy includes a World Cup title in 2022, two Copa América triumphs (in 2021 and 2024), an Olympic gold medal from 2008, and numerous other accolades. His final match features a special commemorative shirt designed to honor his GOAT status, incorporating the Sun of May symbol, Messi's personal logo, and golden details on the crest and numbers.
The game will also serve as a transition point for Argentina’s national team, with coach Lionel Scaloni highlighting the importance of letting new players take center stage. The match in Buenos Aires starts at 8 PM local time (1 AM BST) and can be watched in the UK on Premier Sports 2 starting from midnight.
Written for “Lionel Messi Farewell Match” on 2026-10-07,
grounded in this article and the 22 other(s) covering the same event.
Lionel Messi described his retirement from international football as the “saddest day of my career” on Tuesday after playing his final game for Argentina in a 3-0 defeat of Benin.
asserted
Messi → describe → Benin
Messi, who scored a goal and provided two assists in the victory at the Monumental Stadium, took to the field after the win to express gratitude to fans and teammates as he reflected on his 21-year career with Argentina.
asserted
he → score → Argentina
“It was a huge source of pride for me to defend this jersey for more than 20 years,” Messi told the 80,000-plus spectators in the stadium.
asserted
Messi → defend → stadium
“Even in the worst moments we went through and that I had, I never stopped fighting, never stopped being here,” added the 39-year-old.
asserted
old → go → that
“Not coming anymore is going to be deeply painful.
asserted
coming → come → ?
I swear I’d like to play for the rest of my life, because playing for the Argentina national team is the most beautiful thing that can happen to you.”
asserted
that → swear → you
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni, who was at the helm as Messi finally achieved his dream of winning football’s biggest prize the World Cup in 2022, said there would never be another player of his ability.
asserted
Messi → achieve → ability
“He is unique,” said Scaloni, whose played alongside Messi for a year in the national team.
asserted
whose → say → team
“I have never seen such a set of skills in any other player in all my life.”
asserted
I → see → life
An emotional Scaloni, who cried during the national anthem, said to have been given the opportunity to coach a team with Messi in it was beyond his wildest dreams.
asserted
given → cry → dreams
“I owe him a debt of eternal gratitude, for everything he gave to us,” said the 48-year-old.
asserted
old → owe → us
“I told him in front of everybody, with the little energy that I still had: never in my life did I imagine I would coach the best footballer in history.”
asserted
I → tell → history
‘Unbelievable legacy’
Messi said that returning to the Monumental – where Argentina played their first game after winning the 2022 World Cup – was bittersweet.
asserted
Argentina → say → Cup
“Now I’m here on the saddest day of my career, which is the day I have to say goodbye to the national team, goodbye to all of you.
asserted
I → ’m → you
“But now I’ll be on that side (with the fans), supporting all the boys, everyone who comes in.
asserted
who → support → boys
Always united,” he said.
asserted
he → unite → ?
Messi though said that despite the sadness, he had no regrets about the timing of his international exit, citing the exertions of Argentina’s campaign at this year’s World Cup, where the South Americans battled through to the final only to lose to Spain.
asserted
Americans → say → Spain
Messi said the emotional roller coaster of that tournament – which included a 2-1 defeat of bitter rivals England in the semi-final – had taken a toll.
asserted
which → say → toll
He was also to suffer a bodyblow in August when his father and agent Jorge died.
asserted
father → suffer → August
“Even though I want to be here all my life, I feel that this is the moment.
asserted
this → want → ?
The last World Cup was too much, everything I had to live through,” said Messi.
asserted
Messi → have → ?
“We had the dream of fulfilling my dream and the dream of the whole country, of becoming world champions again.
asserted
We → have → country
“In the last World Cup we were very close, and the reality is that nothing strange happened, as people say.
asserted
people → happen → Cup
The match against England took a huge toll on us physically, and emotionally it was very big.
asserted
it → take → us
“We arrived with just enough, we fought like we always did with this jersey, with all the teammates I got to be with and share things with, not only them but also those who were around in the time when we managed to win.
asserted
we → arrive → time
Scaloni said Messi left an “unbelievable legacy” but he as coach must now focus on life without team’s talisman.
asserted
he → say → talisman
“The only way to make up for his leaving is to have a great team which means everyone brings something to contribute to the building of it. “
asserted
everyone → make → it
The Aporia
