Lionel Messi’s farewell appearance for Argentina ended with the image supporters had hoped to carry away: the captain over the ball, composed at the penalty spot, and one final finish in the Albiceleste shirt against Benin.
Key takeaways
- Messi scored Argentina’s final goal of his international career in the farewell match against Benin.
- The decisive moment came from a penalty awarded for a foul inside Benin’s area.
- Argentina’s captain took responsibility for the spot-kick himself.
- His placed effort found the top corner, beyond the African goalkeeper’s reach.
A final moment from eleven metres
The penalty arrived after Benin conceded a foul in the box. Messi collected the ball and made the familiar walk to the spot, carrying the weight of a final international occasion after more than two decades with the national side.
There was no hesitation in the finish. He sent a controlled shot into the corner of the net, leaving the goalkeeper unable to intervene and sealing what stands as his last goal for Argentina.
The closing scene in Argentina colours
For Messi and the millions who have followed his journey with the Albiceleste, the goal supplied a fitting closing sequence: the captain converting under pressure in the colours that defined so much of his career. The match against Benin became the last chapter, and the penalty the final mark he left on Argentina’s scoresheet.
