Messi farewell match draws massive crowd as Argentina legend bids goodbye
Farewell match tickets sold out in two hours; Otamendi also played final game.
Event / Sports
Lionel Messi International Retirement
Lionel Messi plays his final international match for Argentina in a farewell friendly against Benin in Buenos Aires, concluding a 207-match career as Argentina's all-time leading scorer with 125 goals. Messi's retirement comes after Argentina's loss in the 2026 World Cup final to Spain, ending his participation in six World Cups.
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2026-10-07 to 2026-10-30 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 7 Oct, 01:19 UTC
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What happened
Lionel Messi plays final match for Argentina national team
Lionel Messi, aged 39, played his final match for Argentina's national team on Tuesday in a friendly match against Benin at the Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires. He played the entire match before over 80,000 spectators. Argentina defeated Benin 3-0.
Nicolas Otamendi plays final match for Argentina at age 38
Defender Nicolas Otamendi, aged 38, played his final match for Argentina's national team in the friendly against Benin. He scored after receiving a corner kick assist from Messi in the 48th minute.
Messi scores penalty goal and assists in farewell match
In his final international appearance, Messi scored his 126th goal for Argentina, a penalty converted in the 70th minute. He also recorded two assists, his 66th and 67th for the national team. He provided an assist to Nicolas Otamendi on a corner kick in the 48th minute and another to Nicolas Paz in the 60th minute.
Messi won 2022 FIFA World Cup with Argentina
Lionel Messi led Argentina to victory in the 2022 FIFA World Cup held in Qatar, defeating France in the final. This was Argentina's third World Cup title, achieved after a 36-year wait since Diego Maradona's World Cup victory in 1986.
Messi completed 22 years with Argentina national team
Lionel Messi served the Argentina national team for 22 years, earning 208 caps. During this period, he won one FIFA World Cup (2022), two Copa America titles (2021, 2024), one Olympic gold medal (2008), one U-20 World Cup (2005), and one Finalissima (2022).
Messi's father and agent Jorge died two months before farewell match
Jorge Messi, Lionel Messi's father and longtime agent, died approximately two months before Messi's final international match. This loss prompted Messi to consider retiring from professional football earlier than his current contract with Inter Miami, which extends to 2028.
Tickets for Messi's farewell match sold out within two hours
Tickets for Messi's final international match sold out in less than two hours, reflecting the high demand for attending the historic occasion at the Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires.
Messi announced international retirement in late August 2026
Lionel Messi announced his retirement from international football in late August 2026. The Argentine Football Federation subsequently decided to organize a final match to celebrate his legacy.
Messi wins Copa America titles with Argentina in 2021 and 2024
Lionel Messi won Copa America championships with Argentina in both 2021 and 2024, part of the most successful period of his international career under manager Lionel Scaloni.
Lionel Messi plays farewell match for Argentina against Benin
Lionel Messi played his final international match for Argentina in a friendly against Benin in Buenos Aires. The 39-year-old soccer icon announced his international retirement following Argentina's World Cup final loss to Spain in July. The Argentine Football Association organized the match to give Messi the farewell he deserves, with thousands of fans expected at Estadio Monumental for the event dubbed 'The Night That No One Wants to End.'
Messi announces international retirement after World Cup final loss
Lionel Messi announced his retirement from international soccer following Argentina's loss to Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final in July in New Jersey. Messi, 39, stated 'The time has come' in announcing his decision to end his national team career after competing in a record-tying six World Cups.
Messi finishes international career with 207 appearances and 125 goals
Lionel Messi completed his international career having played 207 matches for Argentina and scoring 125 goals, making him the country's all-time leading scorer. He scored 21 of his international goals in World Cup tournaments and appeared in six World Cups, tying the record held by Cristiano Ronaldo.
Messi wins 2022 World Cup with Argentina, achieving ultimate goal
Lionel Messi led Argentina to victory in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, achieving his ultimate ambition of winning the World Cup with his country. This achievement emulated fellow Argentine great Diego Maradona's World Cup victory.
Messi wins Campeones Cup with Inter Miami
Lionel Messi recently won the Campeones Cup with his club side Inter Miami, his fourth trophy with the team. Messi continues his club-level career with Inter Miami following his international retirement.
Argentina defeated by Spain 1-0 in 2026 World Cup final
Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final in July in New Jersey. The loss meant Argentina fell short of winning back-to-back World Cups, with defending champion Argentina losing to Spain in the championship match.
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2 alternative perspectives
Messi's farewell performance caps 22-year international journey
Messi scored and assisted in farewell match ending his 22-year Argentina career.
Messi's trophy collection defines storied international career arc
Messi won the World Cup, two Copa Americas, and a Campeones Cup, cementing his legacy with Argentina and Inter Miami.
Spain's 1-0 victory ends Argentina's World Cup final hopes
Spain beat Argentina 1-0 in the 2026 World Cup final, prompting Messi's international retirement.
Messi closes international career with farewell match in Buenos Aires
Messi plays farewell match in Buenos Aires, ending international career with 207 appearances and 125 goals.