Buenos Aires gave Lionel Messi a final international night at the Monumental, where emotion arrived long before Argentina’s friendly with Benin on Tuesday. The captain, coach Lionel Scaloni and several members of the squad were visibly moved during the national anthem as the country marked the end of Messi’s Argentina career.
A farewell beneath the Monumental lights
The evening in Núñez unfolded as a tribute to the No. 10, with a full Monumental already gathered an hour before kick-off. Supporters stood to acclaim Messi as he entered the field, while many wore masks carrying his image.
Benin’s players also acknowledged the occasion during the pre-match exchange of pennants, presenting Messi with gifts. Earlier, River Plate president Stéfano Di Carlo had welcomed him with honorary membership of the club and a commemorative River shirt.
- Argentina wore a specially prepared shirt for the friendly.
- The design incorporated references to the Argentine flag and Messi’s two decades with the national side.
- At the 10th minute, the entire stadium rose for a sustained applause in tribute to the departing captain.
- Messi had been seen crying on his arrival at the ground and had earlier posted a farewell message thanking supporters for their affection.
Two decades in Argentina colours
Messi leaves as Argentina’s leading scorer, having registered 125 goals across 207 appearances. His senior debut came in 2005, followed by his first World Cup in Germany the next year.
For much of his international career, the major trophies remained out of reach. Argentina lost the 2014 World Cup final and then suffered successive Copa América final defeats in 2015 and 2016. After that third consecutive runners-up finish, Messi announced that he would no longer play for the national team.
The response from teammates and supporters persuaded him to continue, although Argentina’s last-16 elimination at the 2018 World Cup in Russia brought another difficult chapter. The arrival of Scaloni began to reshape the story.
The trophies that changed the story
Messi’s decision to carry on ultimately brought the successes that had long eluded him. Argentina beat Brazil 1-0 at the Maracanã to win the 2021 Copa América, his first senior international title.
- In 2021, Argentina defeated Brazil in the Copa América final in Rio de Janeiro.
- In 2022, Messi lifted the World Cup in Qatar.
- Argentina won another Copa América in 2024.
- Messi also played a prominent role as Argentina finished second at the 2026 World Cup.
Against Benin, the match was therefore more than another friendly in the calendar. It became a final gathering in the city where the national shirt, once a source of frustration for Messi, had become inseparable from the greatest achievements of his career.
