Gracias, Messi! Lionel Bids Emotional Farewell To Argentina With A Goal, Two Assists And A Win

For 21 years, Argentina knew what it meant to have Lionel Messi in the No. 10 shirt. On Wednesday, 7 October (IST) in Buenos Aires, they had to say goodbye.

Surrounded by his family and battling through tears, Messi brought the curtain down on his international career with a goal and two assists as Argentina beat Benin 3-0 at the Estadio Monumental.

The 39-year-old completed all 90 minutes of his 208th and final appearance for Argentina, delivering the corner for Nicolas Otamendi to head home the opener before setting up Nico Paz for the second.

Messi then took the penalty himself in the 71st minute, smashing it into the roof of the net for his 126th and final international goal.

The moment sent a sold-out Monumental into celebration, with more than 85,000 supporters joining in a collective "Messi, Messi" chant.

Argentina Vs Benin Highlights

The match had been dubbed Messi's "last tango", and long before kick-off it was clear that the football itself would be secondary. This was a night for Argentina to celebrate the player who had been at the heart of its national team for more than two decades.

More than 85,000 tickets sold out within 90 minutes after the Argentine Football Association announced the farewell, while players from Argentina's 1978, 1986 and 2022 World Cup-winning squads also joined the tribute with their families.

A giant blue-and-white Argentina shirt was placed on the pitch before kick-off. It carried Messi's famous No. 10, but instead of his name, there was simply one word: "Gracias."

The emotion began well before the match.

Messi was pictured appearing to cry as the Argentina team bus made its way through crowds lining the streets towards the Monumental. More tears followed inside the stadium as Messi's sons Thiago, Mateo and Ciro joined him on the pitch, with his wife Antonela and mother Celia watching from the stands.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni also struggled to contain his emotions during the national anthem, which Messi was hearing as a member of the national team for the final time.

Emiliano Martinez marked the occasion in his own way, with an "M" carved into his haircut in honour of his captain.

Then, in the 10th minute, the match stopped. The entire stadium rose to applaud Argentina's legendary No. 10, while Benin's players took turns shaking Messi's hand.

In Rosario, Messi's hometown, another giant No. 10 jersey was flown through the sky by helicopter ahead of the farewell.

The tributes had started even before matchday. Messi received a doctorate from the University of Buenos Aires, while Adidas changed its social media profile picture to mirror the "No. 10 Gracias" message displayed on the pitch.

Former Barcelona teammate Ronaldinho also paid tribute to Messi, while Neymar, who played alongside him at Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, thanked him for making him love football even more.

Messi had announced his decision to retire from international football in the weeks after Argentina's 2026 World Cup final defeat to Spain.

"The time has come," Messi said at the time.

The Argentine Football Association then persuaded him to make one final appearance for what it described as "the farewell he deserves".

Messi had already achieved the ultimate ambition four years earlier, leading Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar and finally emulating Diego Maradona by lifting football's biggest trophy for his country.

His international career began on August 17, 2005, in an infamous debut against Hungary that lasted only 90 seconds before he was sent off.

Twenty-one years later, he walked away as Argentina's record appearance-maker and leading scorer.

Messi finished with 208 caps and 126 goals for the Albiceleste. Only Cristiano Ronaldo, with 234 appearances and 146 goals for Portugal, has more goals and appearances in men's international football.

Messi also leaves with 66 international assists, an all-time record. His honours with Argentina include Olympic gold at Beijing 2008, Copa America titles in 2021 and 2024, the 2022 Finalissima and the 2022 World Cup.

He played at six World Cups, matching Ronaldo's record, and scored 21 goals at the tournament. Messi came within one match of defending Argentina's world title in 2026, but Spain edged them 1-0 in the final in New Jersey.

He had briefly retired from international football in 2016, only to return and embark on the most successful period of his Argentina career.

And so, after 21 years, the final match arrived.

For much of the first half, the occasion overshadowed the football. Argentina played at something close to testimonial pace, with their attacks often seeming designed to create one final goal for Messi.

He came close three times, forcing a save from distance before twice sliding into promising positions near goal without finding the finishing touch.

Benin had the best opportunity of the opening half when Junior Olaitan received a pull-back from Rodolfo Aloko, but he sent his effort wide.

Argentina finally broke through three minutes after half-time.

Benin failed to clear a Messi corner and Otamendi rose to head the ball home in the 48th minute, giving Argentina the lead on his own final night with the national team. It was the 38-year-old defender's 140th and last appearance for the Albiceleste.

Messi then helped create the second.

Nico Paz collected the ball on the edge of the area and curled an impressive finish into the net to double Argentina's advantage.

But the crowd was still waiting for one final Messi goal.

It arrived in the 71st minute.

Tamimou Ouorou brought down Agustin Giay inside the area and Messi stepped forward for the penalty. There was no hesitation. He sent the ball into the roof of the net before being engulfed by his teammates.

The entire Argentina team celebrated around their captain for one final time.

Goal No. 126.

The last international goal of Lionel Messi's career.

When the final whistle came, the match was over but the farewell was only beginning. Messi stood before the Monumental crowd, raising his arms as the chants of his name continued.

Benin's players gathered around him too, with some attempting to take selfies with the Argentina captain on the pitch.

Messi will not disappear from football. He remains with Inter Miami and recently won the Campeones Cup, his fourth trophy with the MLS club.

But his Argentina chapter is finished.

For 21 years, the No. 10 shirt belonged to Messi. From the heartbreaks of his early career to the Copa America triumphs and finally the World Cup in Qatar, he gave Argentina almost everything a footballer could give his country.

On his final night, he gave them one more goal.

One more memory.

And one final goodbye.

Gracias, Messi!