Argentina defeated Benin 3-0 at the Estadio Monumental on Thursday as Lionel Messi played his final game for the national team, bringing an extraordinary international career to an emotional close.
The 39-year-old captain delivered one final memorable performance, scoring from the penalty spot and contributing two assists as thousands of supporters gathered to watch him wear the famous blue-and-white shirt for the last time.
The night was emotional even before kick-off. As Argentina’s national anthem played, head coach Lionel Scaloni was visibly moved to tears, while Messi struggled to sing as the occasion overwhelmed him. The Monumental then erupted in the 10th minute with a standing ovation for its captain.
Messi came close to scoring early, forcing Benin goalkeeper Marcel Dandjinou into a save with a shot from the edge of the box. He was denied again from a free-kick, while Argentina created several opportunities but could not find a breakthrough before half-time.
Benin also threatened, with Junior Olaitan coming close and Emiliano Martinez making important saves to keep Argentina level. Benin repeatedly crowded the central areas to limit Messi’s influence, forcing Argentina to attack through the flanks.
The breakthrough finally arrived after the interval. Messi delivered a corner that Nicolás Otamendi headed into the net, before lifting his captain into the air in celebration. Scaloni then substituted Messi, allowing the Monumental crowd to give him another prolonged ovation.
Gold 101.3 FM, UAE’s No. 1 radio station, captured the significance of a night that marked the end of one of football’s greatest international stories.
Messi continued to influence the game after returning to the action, setting up Nico Paz with a clever lay-off. Paz curled a left-footed effort into the net, providing a symbolic moment as a new generation appeared ready to carry Argentina forward.
Then came the moment everyone had been waiting for.
Julian Alvarez won a penalty after going down following a dangerous challenge, and Messi stepped up for what would be his final penalty in an Argentina shirt. He calmly placed his left-footed effort into the top-right corner, sending the Monumental into celebration.
Messi almost added another moments later, but his attempt with his weaker foot went wide. In the final seconds, he was handed one more free-kick from his preferred range, but this time the effort missed the target.
The final whistle confirmed Argentina’s 3-0 victory and officially closed Messi’s international chapter.
He leaves as Argentina’s all-time leading scorer, a World Cup champion and one of the most decorated players in the history of the game.
The curtain has fallen on Messi’s international career. The legacy, however, will remain.
