Image: an AI-generated editorial illustration of Messi’s farewell, not a photograph from the match.
Lionel Messi’s final Argentina match ended with a goal, two assists and a 3–0 victory over Benin at Buenos Aires’ Estadio Monumental on 6 October 2026. The 39-year-old contributed directly to every goal before addressing supporters during an emotional celebration of his international career.
The score explains the football. The tears, tributes and farewell speech explain why the night mattered: Argentina was watching its captain wear the national shirt for the last time. The Argentine Football Association’s match report confirmed the result and the scorers.
Argentina 3–0 Benin: Messi’s goal and two assists
A goalless first half gave way to three Argentina goals after the interval. According to Inter Miami’s report of its captain’s final international appearance, the sequence was:
- 48th minute — Nicolás Otamendi, 1–0: Messi supplied the corner for the opening goal.
- 61st minute — Nico Paz, 2–0: Messi provided his second assist, helping the younger midfielder extend the lead.
- 71st minute — Lionel Messi, 3–0: the captain converted a penalty to complete the scoring.
Messi finished with one goal and two assists. His connection with Otamendi, who was also saying goodbye to the national team, linked two established figures of Argentina’s successful generation. The pass to Paz offered a symbolic bridge to the players who will carry the team forward.
What Messi told the fans after the match
Messi took the microphone at the end of the celebration. In the AFA’s account of his speech, he remembered his father, thanked his teammates and supporters, and described representing Argentina as the greatest experience of his life.
He stressed that his commitment had existed through the difficult years as well as the trophy-winning ones. His thanks extended to the group that helped him become a world champion and win the Copa América and Finalissima. Rather than presenting those achievements as an individual collection, he credited the strength of the team around him.
Infobae reported that the address lasted approximately nine minutes. Messi recalled how supporters followed Argentina around the world, making distant stadiums feel like home. He also reflected on coming close to another World Cup title in 2026 and on the physical and emotional effort of that campaign.
His message to the crowd looked forward too: stay united, support the next generation and defend the national team when harder periods arrive. He acknowledged how much he would miss being inside the squad. Having already announced his international retirement, he will now follow Argentina as a supporter.
He contrasted this farewell with the joy of returning to the Monumental after the 2022 World Cup triumph, recalling that earlier celebration as one of his happiest moments. In the speech reported by TN, he described this departure as the saddest day of his career and admitted he did not want to leave the pitch.
Messi’s Argentina achievements and final statistics
FIFA’s career tribute lists 208 senior appearances, 126 goals and 70 assists after the farewell. These are the post-match totals used here; some AFA career pages retain figures from before the Benin game.
- Senior titles: Copa América 2021, Finalissima 2022, World Cup 2022 and Copa América 2024.
- Earlier honours: the 2005 Under-20 World Cup and Olympic gold in Beijing in 2008, separate from his four senior trophies.
- World Cup milestones: six editions, 34 matches and 21 goals, with tournament Golden Balls in 2014 and 2022.
The AFA also records 39 Copa América appearances and 36 goals in South American World Cup qualifying. Those competition records help explain the scale of a national-team journey that began against Hungary in August 2005 and lasted more than two decades.
Tributes, music and an emotional family farewell
More than 85,000 spectators filled the Monumental, according to match reports. The game paused in the tenth minute for an ovation to Argentina’s number 10. RTVE reported that his family, Sergio Agüero, Ángel Di María and members of Argentina’s World Cup-winning generations were among those present.
The AFA described live music before kickoff, an anthem performed by Malvinas veteran Fabio Santana and a halftime appearance by guitarist Gaspar Benegas. After the final whistle, drones, lights and fireworks accompanied performances by Soledad Pastorutti and Ulises Bueno. Messi’s address brought the occasion to its emotional close, followed by embraces with his family.
Infobae also captured the human aftermath: Enzo Fernández was visibly crying during the speech, while Thiago later embraced his father in tears and Antonela Roccuzzo joined them. A surprise closing performance by Grupo Cali with Sergio Torres accompanied the family’s departure. These scenes made the farewell feel personal as well as national.
Has Messi retired from football completely?
No. This farewell closes his Argentina career. His club career continues with Inter Miami, which has announced a contract through the 2028 MLS season. The distinction matters: the national team must now build without its long-serving captain, while supporters can still follow him in club football.
For Argentina, the enduring image is a captain who created two goals, scored the last one and then asked the crowd to stand behind the players who come next.