Key Takeaways
- Lionel Messi scored one goal and set up two in his final international match.
- The 39-year-old captain led Argentina to a 3-0 victory at Monumental Stadium.
- Fans celebrated Messi’s 21-year career with emotional scenes and fireworks.
Lionel Messi delivered a masterclass in his final international match, scoring one goal and setting up two assists as Argentina defeated Benin 3-0 in a friendly match at Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires on October 6, 2026.
The 39-year-old captain, who has been the face of the national team for 21 years, brought the curtain down on his extraordinary career with a performance that was as much about emotion as it was about football.
The match, which was played in front of more than 85,000 fans, saw Messi share the pitch with some of Argentina’s World Cup winners of 1978, 1986, and 2022, including his family, who watched proudly from the stands.
Before the match, a massive No. 10 shirt emblazoned with ‘Gracias’ (Thank You) was unfurled at the National Flag Memorial in Rosario, Messi’s hometown, marking the start of a day filled with tributes.
During the pre-match handshake, Benin’s captain handed Messi a gift and a letter, a gesture that highlighted the respect and admiration Messi commands from his peers.
In a fairytale ending, Messi converted a penalty for the third goal, his 126th international goal, prompting another round of ‘Messi, Messi’ chants from the crowd.
The match was not just about the scoreline but about the emotional farewell. As the final whistle blew, team-mates, opponents, and the referee gathered around Messi for embraces, marking the end of his magnificent Argentina career.
A drone show lit up the sky to mark the occasion, with Messi leaving as the country’s most-capped player (208) and record scorer, having transformed years of frustration on the international stage into a story of World Cup and Copa America triumphs.
For years, Argentina asked Messi to deliver. On Tuesday, it simply came to say ‘Thank You’.
