Messi bids adieu to La Albiceleste in an emotional farewell

Lionel Messi played his final game for Argentina on October 6, 2026, bowing out with an international friendly against Benin at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires. The match ended in a 3–0 win for Argentina with Messi signing off in style with a 71st-minute penalty and two assists.

Messi had announced his retirement from international football in August earlier this year. The announcement came after the heartbreak of a World Cup final defeat and the painful loss of his father, Jorge, who had been struggling with illness.

Based on the announcement he made via social media, Messi felt he had already given everything to the national team and had nothing in the tank. Even if it hurt him a lot to make this decision, he felt it was the right time to close this chapter and let new players come in and take the team forward. He also mentioned that, going forward, he would watch, support, and cheer the team as a lifelong fan. 

Leo Messi has achieved success not just in club football with Barcelona, but he has also cemented his place as one of the best Argentine players of all time now. He followed an incredible legacy of world-class football icons like Alfredo Di Stéfano, Mario Kempes, and Diego Maradona, and carried the hopes of a football-fanatic nation for two decades, until at the 2022 World Cup he finally broke the jinx and became a world champion. 

While he achieved continued success with Spanish giants Barcelona, winning major silverware and most Ballon d’Or titles (8), his time with the national team didn’t go as well for the most part, which also led him to announce retirement once before in June 2016 after suffering three consecutive final losses: in the 2014 World Cup and two Copa América finals in 2015 and 2016.

However, he reversed his decision a few months later and went on to have a golden period with the national team, winning two Copas América in 2021 and 2024 and the holy grail, the World Cup, in 2022. 

At the recent World Cup, Messi almost singlehandedly dragged Argentina to the final against Spain. En route to his third World Cup final, the Argentine genius scored eight goals and provided four assists. The 39-year-old was undeniably the best player at this World Cup, although he didn’t receive the Golden Ball.

Messi competed at his sixth World Cup this year, already an incredible feat, and he broke and created many new records. Here, we look at some interesting facts: 

• Messi now has the most appearances at the men’s World Cup, having played 34 matches. 
• Messi has the most men’s World Cup wins (23). 
• Messi has played the most men’s World Cup minutes (2,609). 
• Messi has scored in nine consecutive World Cup games.
• Messi became the first player to score in six consecutive men’s World Cup knockout matches. 
• Messi now has the most assists (12) in men’s World Cup history. 
• Messi became the first player in history to start three men’s World Cup finals. 
• Messi became the oldest outfield player at 39 years and 24 days of age to feature in a men’s World Cup final.

Messi may have been suffering from the heartbreak of a final loss, but more than that it could have been the loss of his father that pushed him to consider retirement. Although he isn’t getting any younger, when in form, Messi is still one of the best players in the world. His performances at the 2026 World Cup showed why he is considered the greatest footballer of all time. 

The Argentine national team boast some great talent in their ranks. The likes of Lautaro Martínez, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernández, and Julián Alvarez are already experienced players with a World Cup medal to their names. Success begets success, and due to the top performances at the World Cup and the Copa América, Argentina are now witnessing an influx of talented youth players as well. Franco Mastantuono, Claudio Echeverri, Nico Paz, and Ian Subiabre are some of the names that could become future stars with the national team.

Messi’s influence isn’t limited to club football or his national team. Some players are so special that they transcend all boundaries and earn the admiration and adulation of everyone around them. Leo Messi has been that kind of a player. Although he knows that he can play at the highest level for a few more years, he doesn’t want to delay someone else’s progress, and that is the sign of greatness. 

As Messi bids adieu to international football, a lot of rival teams and their fans will breathe a huge sigh of relief. From a neutral perspective, though, it’s a massive loss for Argentine football and their fans but also world football in general. Messi would definitely feel at peace as he departs international football with numerous records to his name, having achieved his dream of becoming a world champion. Messi ends his Argentina journey with 208 appearances, having registered 126 goals and 69 assists with the Albiceleste. 

While one chapter is drawing to a close, another one remains. He will continue in Major League Soccer for Inter Miami a while longer, so we can still watch the magician at play before he hangs up his boots for good. 

What begins must always come to an end, however painful it may be. Perhaps, rather than feeling sadness, we should be grateful that we were fortunate enough to witness one of the greatest footballers of all time at the peak of his powers, who mesmerised us with his brilliance, terrorised opposition defences, and, quite simply, took our breath away with beautiful football. 

Congratulations, Lionel Messi, on an incredible career with the national team and beyond. We will forever remember the heartbreaks, the setbacks, the comebacks, and, most of all, the incredible victories that made your journey so unforgettable.