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Messi Scores in Emotional Final Argentina Match
Confirmed
In Short: Lionel Messi scored his 126th goal for Argentina in his final international match, a 3-0 victory over Benin in Buenos Aires.
Lionel Messi scored his 126th goal for Argentina in his final international match, a 3-0 victory over Benin in Buenos Aires.
The game, dubbed 'the last tango,' was a tribute to Messi's 21-year career with the national team.
Messi, 39, announced his retirement from international soccer after Argentina's World Cup final loss to Spain.
The match paused in the 10th minute for a standing ovation as Benin players shook Messi's hand.
Players from Argentina's previous World Cup-winning squads and their families joined the tribute.
Messi's goal came in the 71st minute when he converted a penalty kick, prompting a roar from the sold-out Estadio Monumental.
In addition to scoring, Messi provided assists for Nicolás Otamendi and Nico Paz, cementing his legacy as Argentina's all-time leading goalscorer and assist provider.
The Argentine Football Association (AFA) emphasized the emotional significance of the match, saying it would 'transcend sports.'
Messi was seen in tears as he boarded the team bus, and more tears flowed during the national anthem.
The match marked the end of a journey that began in 2005 when Messi made his debut for Argentina.
Despite early criticism, Messi's bond with fans grew stronger, especially after Argentina's 2022 World Cup victory.
Lionel Scaloni, Argentina's coach, also shed tears during the farewell.
What this adds
The match was part of the 'Super FIFA Window' and was a friendly.
Messi's journey with Argentina included criticism and eventual triumph, culminating in his World Cup win in 2022.
The AFA ensured that Messi received a fitting send-off, emphasizing the emotional significance of the event.
What's confirmed
- Lionel Messi scored his 126th goal for Argentina in his final international match, a 3-0 victory over Benin in Buenos Aires.
- The game, dubbed 'the last tango,' was a tribute to Messi's 21-year career with the national team.
- Messi, 39, announced his retirement from international soccer after Argentina's World Cup final loss to Spain.
- The match paused in the 10th minute for a standing ovation as Benin players shook Messi's hand.
- Players from Argentina's previous World Cup-winning squads and their families joined the tribute.
- Messi's goal came in the 71st minute when he converted a penalty kick, prompting a roar from the sold-out Estadio Monumental.
- In addition to scoring, Messi provided assists for Nicolás Otamendi and Nico Paz, cementing his legacy as Argentina's all-time leading goalscorer and assist provider.
- Messi was seen in tears as he boarded the team bus, and more tears flowed during the national anthem.
- The match marked the end of a journey that began in 2005 when Messi made his debut for Argentina.
- Despite early criticism, Messi's bond with fans grew stronger, especially after Argentina's 2022 World Cup victory.
- Lionel Scaloni, Argentina's coach, also shed tears during the farewell.
What's still developing
- The script called for at least one more goal from Messi, and the 39-year-old duly delivered.
- Further evidence that the game was secondary on this night came when the action paused in the 10th minute as the whole stadium applauded Argentina's legendary No. 10, while Benin players took turns shaking Messi's hand.
- "Special moments I know I will miss," he wrote.
- With a wave of his left foot, he emphatically dispatched a penalty into the roof of the net in the 71st minute, cuing up the sold-out crowd at the Estadio Monumental to rejoice with a collective chant of "Messi, Messi." For a time, it appeared as though Messi might exit the stage without giving the crowd what they wanted most, after snatching at some earlier chances.
- But Messi has always been more than just a goal scorer and he provided two assists for Argentina's other goals in a 3-0 win, delivering a corner for Nicolás Otamendi to head in in the 48th minute and supplying a pass for Nico Paz to curl impressively into the net.
- Messi faced sharp criticism from Argentina fans, both because the national team had called up a player who spent most of his football career abroad and because he struggled to reproduce his club form with Argentina.
- Messi was labeled “pecho frio”, or someone who lacked heart or fire, said Argentine journalist and author Sergio Levinsky.
- The perception of Messi began to change after he led Argentina to a comeback win over Colombia in a 2011 World Cup qualifier.
- After he announced his retirement from the national team following a penalty shootout defeat to Chile in the 2016 Copa America final, he received an outpouring of support from fans, who publicly pleaded with him to reconsider his decision.
- “It is Messi and Maradona…They were both geniuses in different eras,” he said.
- The goal of the match is to ensure “the best player in the world gets the home send-off he truly deserves.” according to the Argentine Football Association (AFA) Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.
- After Messi moved to Barcelona in 2000, Spain made several attempts to convince him to represent La Roja.