Messi played his final match for the Argentine national team on Tuesday night in Buenos Aires, capping an incredible international career that includes a World Cup title and two Copa America crowns


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Have we seen the passing of Argentina's iconic number 10? As Lionel Messi played his final game for the national team on Tuesday, a 3-0 victory over Benin, a notable moment was Messi setting up Nico Paz for Argentina's second goal in the 61st minute. At the time, the Como man had only been on the pitch for two minutes, but he didn't need much time in order to make an impact while Messi was involved in all three of Argentina's goals, scoring a penalty and assisting two more goals.

The opener came via a corner kick for Nicolas Otamendi, who is also retiring from the national team following this game. The match may not have started on time at the Estadio Monumental due to La Albiceleste arriving late, but the party still got underway properly with Argentina winning and Messi being involved in everything.

Emotion could be felt from before the first kick and for good reason, as Messi has won everything that there is to win, leading Argentina to dynasty status while capturing the Copa America in 2021 and 2024, and capturing that elusive World Cup in between.

Messi will sign off for Argentina with 208 caps for the team while scoring 126 goals and assisting 62 more. At 39, he'll still play for Inter Miami, but this is about ending his international career on the right foot while he can still go out on top. This week has shown quite a contrast with Cristiano Ronaldo's departure from the Portuguese national team, but as Rosario pays tribute to Messi with a 38-meter Argentina shirt saying "Gracias," and flying another one over the stadium before the match, it's something that shows just how much larger than life Messi's legacy is.

5. Late arrivals
Not everything could begin as intended for the match, as it kicked off 15 minutes late due to the national team arriving late. But also considering that teams with Messi generally return from halftime late, being able to build the anticipation with a late arrival is quite a moment. Fashionably late does have a time and a place, and a send-off match such as this one is a good time for it, even if it may have left match organizers and the TV broadcast on edge at times.

4. Sending Otamendi out on a high
Messi's retirement took the spotlight, and for good reason, but Nicolas Otamendi has also been a massive part of these Argentina teams over the years. A stout defense has been critical for Lionel Scaloni's leadership of the team, and there have been plenty of moments where Otamendi crashing in from a corner kick has been critical for many of Argentina's wins, so it was fitting that there was at least one more before it was all said and done for the national team.

3. Messi scores his final Argentina goal
Penalties are one of the few things that have made Messi human during his career, but when Agustin Giay was taken down in the box, he wouldn't miss from the spot. In a team for this match that was aiming to replace the XI of the 2022 World Cup final, Giay wasn't even supposed to be in it as Nahuel Molina would've been the player at right back, but Roma didn't allow him or Paulo Dybala to come for the occasion with a game on Sunday facing Como. Roma may be leading Serie A by a thin margin, but it was a decision that ended up putting the Palmeiras man Giay on the big stage, and he will forever be able to have had a part in Messi's final goal.

2. Assisting Nico Paz
We may have witnessed the changing of the guard. Since the number 10 shirt can't be retired in FIFA competitions, someone will have to inherit it, and the Como man is among the biggest contenders for it. The 22-year-old has scored in each of Argentina's friendlies during this window and also got an assist. It only took two minutes after coming off the bench for him to score, and it was assisted by Messi before the duo shared a hug. It was Paz's 14th appearance for Argentina, but prior to this window, he had only scored one goal, which he scored in March. While taking on a central role in Como's attack, Paz has already shown that he can handle pressure, and more could be coming if he gets the iconic shirt.

1. Messi's farewell
Once the dust settled on things after Messi delivered a farewell speech at the Monumental, which brought his teammates to tears, not only did chants of "Leo Messi" erupt, but there was also a massive drone show in the air that featured Messi's face and jersey. On a day that he also became an honorary member of River Plate due to being undefeated at the Monumental, Messi also delivered a warning of what's to come as part of that speech.

''Tough times are coming, because not everything we've achieved has been easy. That's when we have to stay united more than ever. There are a lot of people who want the Argentine National Team to do poorly, and we can't give them the satisfaction," Messi said.

Not only will filling his shoes be tough, but Messi leaves a squad that has had immense success on the international stage, making it to the final of four consecutive major international tournaments and winning three of them. That isn't an easy feat, but the expectations will be for Argentina to continue that success even without Messi pulling the strings. The talent is there to do that, but they'll have to come together just as Messi said.

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Posted by Temmy
Wed, October 07, 2026 10:11pm