‘Perhaps the saddest day of my career’ - Lionel Messi says emotional farewell to Argentina
Lionel Messi has officially played his final match for the Argentina national team in a friendly against Benin. The football legend expressed deep emotion, calling it the saddest day of his career while reflecting on his historic tenure.
Why it matters
Messi is widely considered one of the greatest athletes in history, and his retirement marks the end of a transformative era for Argentine and international football.
An emotional Lionel Messi addressed a packed stadium in Buenos Aires on Tuesday night after playing his final ever game for Argentina.
The GOAT scored in a 3-0 friendly win over Benin and couldn’t hold back the tears as he spoke about his sadness at playing in Argentina’s colors for the final time in his incredible career.
> “I’m going to miss playing here so much. I always received tremendous affection, from beginning to end. I’m so grateful for everything I experienced. I’m thankful for all this time: wherever I was, the stadium was packed, whatever the match. They were everywhere, making a huge effort, traveling to the World Cups,” he said.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in