Lionel Messi has ended his international career with Argentina, calling his farewell the “saddest day of my career” after his team defeated Benin 3-0 in Buenos Aires.
Messi played his final match for Argentina on October 6 at the Monumental Stadium. The 39-year-old scored one goal and assisted two others as Argentina won comfortably in front of more than 80,000 fans. The match was his 208th appearance for the national team.
After the match, Messi became emotional while speaking to the supporters. He said wearing the Argentina shirt for more than 20 years had been a great source of pride. He also said leaving the team would be deeply painful, as he would have liked to continue playing for the national side for the rest of his life.
Messi made his senior Argentina debut in 2005 and finishes his international career as the country’s leading scorer with 126 goals. He also helped Argentina win the 2021 and 2024 Copa America titles and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Despite the emotional farewell, Messi said he felt it was the right time to step away from international football. He is expected to continue his club career with Inter Miami.
