Messi Signs Off From Argentina With a Goal

The captain signed off in front of a full Estadio Monumental, ending a 21-year international career as Argentina's leader in caps, goals and assists.

Lionel Messi has played his last game for Argentina. 

The 39-year-old scored a penalty and set up the other two goals in a 3-0 friendly win over Benin at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires on Tuesday night local time (10am AEDT on Wednesday 7 October), and he did it in front of a sold-out crowd of around 85,000.

It was a fitting script. Nicolás Otamendi headed in a Messi corner just after half-time, Nico Paz finished off a Messi pass on the hour, and the man himself converted from the spot in the 71st minute for his 126th international goal. 

He played the full 90.

A Farewell Built Around the Number 10

The night was built around the captain from the first minute. Messi had his three sons with him on the pitch, and he was visibly emotional during the anthem on a night lit up by fireworks. 

Play stopped in the 10th minute for a standing ovation, with Benin's players among those queuing up to shake his hand.

After full-time, Messi addressed the crowd and thanked his teammates for the World Cup they won together. "I love you, I'm going to miss you," he told the fans. 

His teammates gathered around their captain before he took a final lap of the Monumental with his wife and three children.

Otamendi's goal carried its own weight, because the veteran defender was also playing his final game for Argentina. The pair shared four World Cups.

Why Messi Chose Now

Messi announced his international retirement on social media on 31 August, describing the decision as one that still hurt but came at the right time.

It followed a painful July in North America, where Argentina reached the 2026 World Cup final at MetLife Stadium only to lose 1-0 to Spain after extra time, Ferran Torres scoring the winner.

The AFA, through president Claudio Tapia, then invited him back for a proper send-off on home soil. Tickets for the Benin friendly sold out almost instantly.

Lionel Messi's Argentina Career in Numbers

Messi finishes with 208 caps and 126 goals, both Argentina records, and he also owns the national-team record for assists. 

For context on where that goal tally sits historically, our breakdown of the most goals in football history has the full list.

His major honours with Argentina:

• FIFA World Cup (2022)
• Copa América (2021 and 2024)
• Finalissima (2022)
• Olympic gold (Beijing 2008)

Those titles feed into one of the longest trophy cabinets the game has seen, as our guide to the most trophies in football history shows.

What's Next for Messi at Inter Miami

International football is done, but club football is not. 

Messi is contracted to Inter Miami through the 2028 MLS season, and the reigning MLS Cup champions are heading into the final weeks of the regular season with the playoffs in sight.

We expect plenty of punters to follow him into the MLS run, and our MLS betting guide covers how those markets work. 

For the latest MLS odds and markets, check out our soccer odds page here at Sportsbet.

And if you are curious about what two decades at the top has earned him, our Lionel Messi net worth guide runs the numbers.

And if you want to see how he stacks up beyond football, it is worth a look at where he sits among the highest paid athletes in the world.