The final Argentina night of Lionel Messi’s international career ended with the familiar left foot finding the top corner. After a first half in which several chances went unfinished, the captain made his last appearance for his country count in the 71st minute against Benin.
Messi had already shaped the match with two assists, setting up Nicolas Otamendi and Nico Paz, before Argentina were awarded a penalty for a foul on defender Agustin Giay. The No. 10 took only a short run-up and sent his strike into the goalkeeper’s upper-left corner, while Marcel Dandjinou had begun to dive the other way.
The goal took Messi’s Argentina total to 126. It was a more successful moment from the spot than at the most recent World Cup, where he failed to convert penalties against Austria in the group stage and Egypt in the round of 16.
For one last evening in the national shirt, Messi left with both the creator’s touch and the scorer’s finish: two goals made by his passing, and one written by his own boot.
