Buenos Aires has given Lionel Messi many nights of celebration, but Tuesday at the Monumental carried the weight of farewell. Argentina’s captain made his final appearance for the Albiceleste in a 3-0 friendly victory over Benin, signing off with a goal and two assists before a packed stadium, his team-mates and his family.
The news from the club
Messi, now 39 and playing his club football with Inter Miami, returned to social media on Thursday to thank Argentina supporters once more after the emotional occasion in the capital.
Alongside a photograph of himself looking down while holding an Argentina shirt, he posted a message of closure. The number 10 shirt bore “Gracias” in place of his name, echoing the one that awaited him as he walked on to the Monumental pitch for his last match with the national side.
Messi wrote that there was nothing left to add and that the journey was complete. He said the words that came most sincerely to him were simply: “Thank you, Argentina.”
The Argentine Football Association turned the Benin match into a tribute to its long-serving captain, with musical performances, fireworks and a drone display accompanying the farewell ceremony.
After the final whistle, Messi addressed the crowd from the centre circle, surrounded by colleagues and relatives. He described representing Argentina as an immense honour. While accepting that leaving the squad would bring great pain, he said he would have liked to continue forever but believed the time had come to end his international chapter.
His latest post followed another message published on Wednesday, when Messi said he already missed wearing Argentina’s colours but felt he was making the right decision. He thanked supporters for standing alongside both the national team and himself, saying he loved them, would miss them and would always remain grateful.
