Lionel Messi ended his international career the only way he knew how. In his 208th and final appearance for Argentina, a 3-0 friendly win over Benin at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, the 39-year-old set up Nicolás Otamendi and Nico Paz before converting a 71st-minute penalty for his 126th goal in the sky-blue and white shirt. More than 85,000 fans, the players from Argentina’s 1978, 1986 and 2022 World Cup-winning squads and his own family watched him play a full match, deliver a tearful speech and walk off under a drone show, 21 years after his debut.
Key Takeaways
- Argentina beat Benin 3-0 in Lionel Messi’s farewell match, with all three goals coming in the second half after a goalless first 45 minutes.
- Messi assisted Otamendi’s header from a corner in the 48th minute and Nico Paz’s curling strike in the 61st, then scored a penalty in the 71st minute for his 126th and final international goal.
- Messi retires as Argentina’s record holder for caps (208) and goals (126), with the 2022 World Cup, the 2021 and 2024 Copa Américas and the 2022 Finalissima among his honours.
- Otamendi, who retired from international football after the 2026 World Cup final, was given one last start and scored the opening goal before leaving to an ovation.
- The night ended with a drone show, a performance by Soledad Pastorutti and an emotional speech in which Messi said saying goodbye was “the saddest day of my career”.
The Argentina vs Benin friendly was the third and last match of a home international window built around Messi’s goodbye. Lionel Scaloni’s side had already beaten Bolivia 4-0 in Córdoba on September 30 and a makeshift Burkina Faso 7-0 at the Monumental on October 3, both without Messi, who asked to rest after his Inter Miami commitments so that he could arrive at his final game in peak condition. Tickets for the Benin match sold out in 90 minutes, with resale prices reportedly passing $2,500, and Scaloni said beforehand that “if there were five Monumentals, they would be full”. Thousands of fans lined the route of the team bus from the Lionel Andrés Messi training centre in Ezeiza, and the captain was visibly in tears before kick-off, which was delayed by 15 minutes because of the crowds.
How did Argentina beat Benin in Messi’s final match?
Scaloni sent out almost the entire team that won the 2022 World Cup final, with Agustín Giay at right-back in place of Nahuel Molina, whose club Roma declined to release him. Fireworks accompanied the national anthem, Benin’s captain Sessi D’Almeida presented Messi with a gift and a letter during the handshakes, and in the 10th minute play stopped for a standing ovation, with the Benin players taking turns to shake the captain’s hand. Benin were not there simply to make up the numbers: Tosin Aiyegun and Junior Olaitan both tested Emiliano Martínez early on, while Messi saw a free-kick saved by goalkeeper Marcel Dandjinou and had two further attempts before a goalless half-time.
The breakthrough came three minutes into the second half. Messi swung in a corner from the right and Otamendi, given one last cap in a one-off return from international retirement, met it at the near post to score. Four minutes later the 38-year-old defender was substituted alongside Nicolás Tagliafico, and the Monumental rose to applaud the man who had played alongside Messi for 17 years across four World Cups. Scaloni then began to introduce the next generation. Paz replaced Rodrigo De Paul in the 59th minute, and within two minutes the Como playmaker, widely seen as a candidate to inherit the number 10 shirt, had received a pass from Messi on the edge of the box and curled a left-footed shot into the far corner for 2-0.
The fairy-tale finish arrived in the 71st minute. Giay was brought down inside the area by Tamimou Ouorou, the referee pointed to the spot, and there was never any doubt about who would take it. Messi drove the penalty into the roof of the net with his left foot and the stadium shook to chants of his name. He kept going until the end, striking the post from open play and sending a stoppage-time free-kick from the edge of the box over the bar, finishing the night with nine shots, five on target, four chances created and 12 touches in the Benin penalty area. Late substitutes Leonel Flores, Giovani Lo Celso, Franco Mastantuono and Exequiel Palacios all got a taste of the occasion as Argentina completed a third straight win without conceding a goal.
What were the key statistics of the Argentina vs Benin match?
Argentina controlled the ball for almost two-thirds of the match and put 12 shots on target, forcing Dandjinou into eight saves. Benin’s two shots on target both came in a lively opening spell, and the visitors committed 14 fouls as they tried to slow the hosts down, with Mohamed Tijani and Ouorou booked after the break. Otamendi had collected Argentina’s only yellow card just before half-time.
| Statistic | Argentina | Benin |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 65% | 35% |
| Total shots | 19 | 7 |
| Shots on target | 12 | 2 |
| Corners | 8 | 2 |
| Fouls | 11 | 14 |
| Saves | 2 | 8 |
| Yellow cards | 1 | 2 |
Who were the standout performers and starters for each side?
Messi was inevitably the player of the match, with a goal, two assists and more shots than the whole Benin team. Paz made the strongest case for the future, scoring two minutes after coming on to add to his goal against Burkina Faso three days earlier, while Otamendi’s header gave the night a second farewell. Giay, making a rare start at right-back, won the penalty, and Martínez dealt calmly with Benin’s early pressure to keep his clean sheet. For Benin, Dandjinou’s eight saves kept the score respectable, and Aiyegun and Olaitan showed in the first half that the Cheetahs had not travelled simply to be part of the ceremony.
Argentina Starting XI
- GK: Emiliano Martínez
- Defenders: Agustín Giay, Cristian Romero, Nicolás Otamendi, Nicolás Tagliafico
- Midfielders: Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister
- Forwards: Lionel Messi (captain), Julián Álvarez, Lautaro Martínez
Argentina made eight changes in the second half. Lisandro Martínez and Facundo Medina replaced Otamendi and Tagliafico in the 52nd minute, Paz came on for De Paul in the 59th and Nico González for Álvarez in the 60th, Flores replaced Lautaro Martínez in the 78th, and Lo Celso, Mastantuono and Palacios came on in the closing stages as Romero and Fernández made way. Messi played the full 90 minutes.
Benin Starting XI
- GK: Marcel Dandjinou
- Defenders: Liam Omore, Tamimou Ouorou, Yohan Roche, Rodolfo Aloko
- Midfielders: Sessi D’Almeida (captain), Hassane Imourane, Yamirou Ouorou, Tosin Aiyegun, Junior Olaitan
- Forward: Mohamed Tijani
What happened at Messi’s farewell ceremony?
At the final whistle, team-mates, opponents and the referee gathered around Messi to embrace him before the lights went down and a drone show lit up the sky above the Monumental, recreating his face, the number 10 shirt and the image of him lifting the World Cup in Qatar in 2022. Soledad Pastorutti, known across Argentina as La Sole, then sang her signature song “Brindis” as the tribute played out. Earlier in the evening landmarks across Buenos Aires had been lit in sky blue and white, and a giant number 10 shirt reading “Gracias” was draped over the National Flag Memorial in Messi’s home city of Rosario.
Messi then took the microphone and struggled to speak. “It is very difficult to say anything today, there are so many emotions. The first thing I think about is my dad,” he said. “It was a source of great pride to wear this jersey for over 20 years. I never stopped fighting, never stopped giving my all. I would love to keep coming back forever, because playing for the Argentine national team is the most beautiful thing that can happen to you. Now, inevitably, I face the saddest day of my career: saying goodbye to the national team.” He finished with a warning and a promise: “Difficult times are coming, as they always are when there is a big change, but we all have to be united because there will be people who speak ill of the national team and we have to defend it. I just want to tell you that I love you and I’ll miss you. I’m proud to be Argentine.”
Scaloni, who had promised to be “a mere spectator” on the night, was equally moved. “We can put together a great squad with the new guys coming up, but I’ve never seen that aura in anyone else in my life,” he said. “That presence he creates won’t be there anymore. We’ll look for new ways forward, but that feeling will be gone. Having enjoyed the experience of coaching him was incredible, and now we have to carry on without him.”
What does Messi leave behind with Argentina?
Messi made his Argentina debut in August 2005, and was sent off 44 seconds into it, before going on to win the 2008 Olympic gold medal and then, after years of near-misses and a brief retirement in 2016, the 2021 Copa América, the 2022 Finalissima, the 2022 World Cup and the 2024 Copa América. He played six World Cups, scoring 21 goals and providing 12 assists, and finished the 2026 tournament with eight goals and the silver Golden Ball as Argentina lost the final 1-0 to Spain after extra time in New Jersey. Only Cristiano Ronaldo has more international caps and goals than Messi’s 208 and 126.
| Record | Lionel Messi with Argentina |
|---|---|
| Caps | 208 (national record) |
| Goals | 126 (national record) |
| Debut | August 2005 vs Hungary |
| Final match | October 6, 2026 vs Benin |
| World Cups | 6 (2006 to 2026), 21 goals |
| Major titles | World Cup 2022, Copa América 2021 and 2024, Finalissima 2022, Olympic gold 2008 |
What comes next for Argentina after Messi?
The immediate future is uncertain. Scaloni’s contract runs until December 2026 and he has hinted that he could step down at the end of the year, while Leandro Paredes, Molina and Thiago Almada are serving FIFA suspensions for an incident after the World Cup final. The Argentine Football Association has not yet confirmed the opponent for the November international window, and the first competitive test of the post-Messi era will be the 2028 Copa América, followed by the 2030 World Cup, which Argentina will partly co-host. Paz and Almada are the leading candidates for the number 10 shirt, and the captaincy is expected to pass to one of the 2022 core. Benin, meanwhile, go home with a share in one of the most famous nights in Argentine football. As Messi wrote when he announced his retirement: “I gave it my all; I have nothing left to give. Besides, there are young players coming up who deserve to be here.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the score in Messi’s last game for Argentina?
Argentina beat Benin 3-0 at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires on October 6, 2026. Nicolás Otamendi, Nico Paz and Messi scored, with Messi assisting the first two goals and converting a penalty for the third.
Did Messi score in his farewell match?
Yes. Messi scored from the penalty spot in the 71st minute after Agustín Giay was fouled in the box. It was his 126th goal for Argentina, extending his national record, and he also provided two assists.
How many caps and goals did Messi finish with for Argentina?
Messi retired with 208 caps and 126 goals, both Argentina records. Only Cristiano Ronaldo has more international appearances and goals in men’s football.
Why did Otamendi play if he had already retired from Argentina?
Otamendi announced his international retirement four days after the 2026 World Cup final, but Scaloni gave him a one-off start so that he could say goodbye alongside Messi. He scored the opening goal from Messi’s corner and was substituted in the 52nd minute to a standing ovation.
Who will wear Argentina’s number 10 shirt after Messi?
No decision has been announced. Nico Paz, who scored in the farewell match two minutes after coming on, and Thiago Almada are regarded as the leading candidates, though Scaloni’s own future beyond December 2026 is still to be resolved.
