Kinshasa, October 7th, 2026 (CPA).- Argentina captain Lionel Messi played his final match for the Albiceleste against Benin (3-0) on Tuesday at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, scoring his final goal for the national football team.
“Lionel Messi bid farewell to the Argentina shirt during an emotional evening, following a 3-0 victory over Benin. Against the Beninese side, the legendary captain scored his 126th and final goal for the Albiceleste,” it was reported.
According to the source consulted by CPA on Wednesday, after this farewell match with Argentina, it was time for words from La Pulga, the Argentine football “Flea”, who is usually sparing with his comments. “After the match, he delivered a final emotional speech, attempting to sing the national anthem, but no sound came out.
Surrounded by his three sons, Thiago, Mateo and Ciro, Lionel Messi was overcome with emotion and had tears in his eyes.
Countless memories must have been running through his mind. The moment matched the emotion: after more than two decades with the national team and more than 200 appearances in the Argentina shirt, he experienced his final Argentine national anthem.” On the pitch at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires, according to the FIFA website, a giant shirt bearing the number 10 displayed a simple word: “Gracias” (Thank you). In the stands, supporters experienced a bittersweet evening, torn between the sadness of saying goodbye to a player who has meant so much to their lives and the happiness of witnessing the epilogue of his legendary international career.
Before kick-off in the friendly against Benin, Messi took time to embrace each of his teammates. After the match, a few words were enough to move an entire nation, revealing what he felt in the face of the only opponent no one can defeat: time. “Not coming back will be an immense pain.
I swear I would give everything to play for the Argentina national team all my life. It is the most beautiful thing that can happen to you.”
Against Benin’s Cheetahs, Messi played as he always has: with the desire to win, the concern for the right gesture and the ambition to make every touch of the ball unique, even though at times the emotion seemed almost too heavy to bear.In the tenth minute, the match was interrupted for a tribute accompanied by fireworks.
The applause and expressions of affection merged, even among the opposing players. He raised his arms to thank the crowd, but seemed to remain in his own world, as though only one thing mattered: getting back to the game.
During the opening minutes, the Argentina captain needed a few sequences to find his rhythm and fully take in the significance of the moment.
This final appearance for the national team followed a decision announced on August 31st in a poignant message published on his social media accounts.In it, he said he felt “empty”, explaining that the death of his father, Jorge, a few weeks earlier had influenced his decision to turn the page.
For Lionel Scaloni’s team, this was the third match since their defeat in the final of the 2026 FIFA World Cup against Spain (1-0), following two friendly victories over Bolivia (4-0) and Burkina Faso (7-0).
With the exception of Ángel Di María, who has retired from international football, and Nahuel Molina, who was injured, Scaloni fielded the same starting eleven that had defeated France in the final of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar (3-3 after extra time, 4-2 on penalties).
At 39, for his definitive farewell, Messi offered some final flashes of his talent: perfect touches, unpredictable bursts of acceleration and a left foot that remained as valuable as ever on set pieces. Benin held Argentina at bay in the first half before giving way under pressure after the break.
Nicolás Otamendi, who also bid farewell to the Albiceleste, headed home a cross from Messi. Then came a move that, with time, may take on a symbolic dimension comparable to Scaloni’s tears before kick-off: a pass from Messi and a goal by Nico Paz.
The match between Argentina and Benin represented for Messi a book closing on his time with his country, even though his personal story continues in the United States. “It is difficult to find the words today. There are so many emotions, so many things. Obviously, I think about my father.
All I can say is thank you. For more than twenty years, I never stopped fighting, battling, giving everything and wanting to be there,” Messi said as he hung up his boots. “The last World Cup had already been very demanding, with everything I experienced. We dreamed of becoming world champions again and came very close.
The match against England (2-1) had affected us enormously.”The number 10 also took the opportunity to thank Argentina’s supporters.“I was lucky enough to play all over the country and I am grateful for everything I experienced. The supporters have always been there, everywhere, in packed stadiums. Wherever we go, we always play at home, and that means a lot.”
At 39, Messi leaves Argentina with 126 goals
Captain during Argentina’s triumphs in the 2021 and 2024 Copa América tournaments, the 2022 Finalissima and the 2022 FIFA World Cup, he also played in two other World Cup finals, the most recent in July and the first in Brazil in 2014 against Germany, where Argentina lost 1-0 after extra time. He also helped Argentina win two other titles: the 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Peru and the gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Football Tournament in Beijing. After the match, a display of drones and performances by artists followed one another in tribute to the captain. Despite the cold and the night dragging on, almost no one left the stadium.
It was as if they wanted to hold on to the moment a little longer, postponing one last time a farewell that was both joyful and painful. He, too, did not want to leave, according to his final words: “I don’t want to leave the pitch. All I can tell you is that I love you and that I will miss you. I thank God for making me Argentine. I love you.” The Argentine star, who established his leadership within the Albiceleste from 2010 in South Africa, has seen his influence grow over the years.“In fact, Messi’s leadership only continued to grow over the years, from the moment Diego Maradona handed him the captain’s armband at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, through to the 2026 World Cup final at New York/New Jersey Stadium.”Jesus, the only Messiah of the Holy Scriptures; Messi, the only one in the universe of footballOn the human plane, Jesus is and remains the only Messiah, incomparable in the Holy Scriptures.
But on the football planet, Lionel Messi has been a unique figure of his kind, with eight Ballon d’Or awards, a record, throughout his sporting career and his own distinctive qualities, even though names such as Pelé, Eusébio, Maradona and Ronaldinho have also left their mark on football. Still alive, Messi has already become immortal through his immeasurable talent and knew when and how to bring his international career to an end.
His story includes 21 years spent at FC Barcelona, including 17 professional seasons with the first team between 2004 and 2021, before moving to Major League Soccer (MLS) after two seasons with Paris Saint-Germain in France. ACP/