Messi retires from international football as Argentina defeat Benin in friendly match
Lionel Messi has officially retired from international football following a 3-0 victory for Argentina over Benin. The 39-year-old concluded his 21-year career with a goal and two assists in his 208th international appearance.
Why it matters
Messi is widely considered one of the greatest athletes in history, and his retirement marks the end of a significant era in global sports.
Lionel Messi retired from international football on Tuesday (October 6, 2026), scoring a goal and providing two assists as Argentina defeated Benin 3-0 in a friendly international.
Messi, playing in his record-extending 208th international, provided the assist for the opening goal scored by veteran Nicolas Otamendi, with Nico Paz also scoring. Messi’s 71st minute penalty was his record-extending 126th international goal.
The 39-year-old, widely regarded as the greatest player in football history, had announced his decision to retire in August following Argentina’s World Cup defeat to Spain.
Messi brought the curtain down on his 21-year international career on Tuesday (October 6, 2026), bidding farewell to adoring Argentina fans in an emotional final appearance.
The match was a footnote to the occasion itself, which saw Messi savoring the adulation of the Monumental Stadium crowd one last time for an event which had been billed as ‘The Last Tango’.
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