Messi bids farewell to Argentina in tears after final appearance against Benin in Buenos Aires

Lionel Messi ended his international career on Wednesday night, scoring a penalty in Argentina’s 3-0 victory over Benin in Buenos Aires before addressing teammates and supporters in an emotional farewell speech that reduced several players to tears. The 39-year-old, who had announced his retirement from international football ahead of the fixture, pulled on the La Albiceleste shirt for the final time after more than two decades of service.

“It’s hard to say anything today; there are so many emotions, so many things are going through my mind,” Messi told the crowd. “The first thing I think of is my dad. All I can do is express my gratitude, as I said in my farewell letter.”

Messi reflected on what representing his country had meant to him throughout his career, describing the honour of wearing the shirt for over 20 years. “I swear I’d like to come back for the rest of my life, because playing for the Argentine National Team is the most wonderful thing that can happen to you. While I want to stay here forever, I feel like it’s the right time. The last World Cup was too much for me.”

He spoke candidly about Argentina’s campaign at the 2026 World Cup, acknowledging the physical and emotional toll of the tournament. “We dreamed of being world champions again, we came so close, and the truth is, nothing unusual happened. We gave it our all; the match against England was incredibly draining for us, both physically and emotionally. The truth is, we barely made it.”

Messi reserved particular praise for the teammates who helped him fulfil his childhood ambitions. “I want to thank my teammates for the time I shared with this group, who helped me fulfil my childhood dream of being a world champion, a champion of the Americas, a champion of the Finalissima, a champion of everything we played for. It was an enormous honour to share the field with them.”

He also paid tribute to Argentina’s supporters, recalling the reception the squad received after winning the 2022 World Cup. “This is where I experienced one of the happiest days of my career: when we played again after winning the World Cup. I’ll never forget what I experienced that day. That day will forever be etched in my history, in theirs, in my family’s.”

Closing his speech, Messi described the occasion as the saddest day of his career. “Today, back here again, I’m surely experiencing the saddest day of my career, because it’s the day I say goodbye to the National Team and to all of you. I’m going to miss defending the colours of the national shirt.”