Desk Report:
Argentine football wizard Lionel Messi has brought the curtain down on his illustrious 21-year international football career. The star—widely regarded as one of the greatest in the history of the sport—bid an emotional farewell during his final match for the former world champions in Buenos Aires. He was seen on the pitch in the Argentina jersey for the last time amidst the love and applause of 85,000 spectators.
Messi made his final international match a memorable one. In the 3-0 victory over Benin, he scored a goal and also contributed to another. With this, the 39-year-old star raised his international goal tally to 126.
Messi took the field for his 208th international match, setting a new record. Early in the game, veteran Nicolás Otamendi put Argentina ahead from a chance created by Messi. Later, Messi himself scored to extend the lead. Nico Paz netted the team’s third goal.
An atmosphere of deep emotion regarding Messi filled the stands throughout the match. Thousands of fans present at the stadium bid farewell with love and applause as they watched their beloved star in the national team jersey for the last time.
After the match, Messi delivered an emotional address to the fans. He said, “It has been a source of immense pride for me to defend this jersey for over 20 years.”
Expressing his feelings about the farewell, Messi added, “It will be incredibly painful not to come here anymore. I swear, I want to keep playing forever, because playing for the Argentina national team is the most beautiful thing that can happen in a person’s life.”
Over a career spanning more than two decades with Argentina, Messi has won the World Cup, the Copa América, and multiple other international titles, while setting countless records. Thus, his final match in the national jersey marks not just the end of a game, but the conclusion of a memorable chapter in Argentine football history.
