Lionel Messi played his last match for Argentina on Tuesday night. He scored, and he cried, and so did most of the stadium.
The emotion began long before kickoff, as Messi was pictured in tears on the team bus while fans packed the route to the Estadio Monumental. More tears came when the Argentine anthem played, from Messi and from coach Lionel Scaloni. His family watched from the stands, alongside World Cup winners from 1978, 1986 and 2022.
The opponent was Benin, though few in the ground seemed to care. Messi scored in his final appearance, closing a 21-year international career that included the 2022 World Cup, a Copa América and the Finalissima.
Messi had a goal and two assists in his final international appearance, earning a 3-0 scoreline. It was the superstar’s 208th and final appearance for Argentina, concluding with 126 goals in his international career.
After the final whistle came the speech. Messi struggled to hold back tears as he told the crowd he didn’t want to leave the field. He said playing for Argentina was the most beautiful thing that could happen to anyone, and that he would gladly keep coming back for life. He called saying goodbye to the national team the saddest day of his career, but promised to keep supporting the squad from the stands.
Then he walked a final lap with his wife and three children while more than 85,000 fans sang “Messi no se va”, meaning “Messi isn’t leaving”.
It was the kind of send-off Argentina rarely gives anyone. For years, the country asked Messi to deliver. On Tuesday, it came to say thank you.