BARCELONA — FC Barcelona has celebrated Lionel Messi’s extraordinary career with the Argentina national team following his emotional farewell to international football.
The 39-year-old Messi brought his 21-year international career to an end on Tuesday night as Argentina defeated Benin 3–0 in a farewell friendly at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.
Messi scored Argentina’s third goal from the penalty spot and provided two assists, including passes that helped Nicolás Otamendi and Nicolás Paz find the net. He finished his international career as Argentina’s most-capped player and leading goalscorer, with 208 appearances and 126 goals.
Career Began With Olympic Glory
Barcelona highlighted Messi’s journey with Argentina, tracing his major international milestones back to the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Messi played a key role in Argentina’s Olympic triumph, scoring twice during the tournament and assisting Ángel Di María for the winning goal in the final against Nigeria. The gold medal became one of the earliest major honours of his international career.
His progression with the senior national team would eventually take him through multiple Copa América tournaments and World Cups before he finally achieved major senior international success.
Messi Ends Long Wait For Major Titles
After years of near misses with Argentina, Messi helped the national team win the 2021 Copa América, defeating Brazil in the final at the Maracanã.
He subsequently lifted the 2022 Finalissima against Italy and, most significantly, captained Argentina to the 2022 FIFA World Cup title in Qatar.
Barcelona noted that Messi’s international honours also include two Copa América titles, an Olympic gold medal and the FIFA World Cup, alongside the FIFA Under-20 World Cup.
His international story continued into the 2026 World Cup, before he finally closed the chapter against Benin.
Barcelona Also Recalls His Club Legacy
While celebrating Messi’s Argentina career, Barcelona also pointed to the remarkable achievements that made him the club’s most decorated player.
Messi joined Barcelona’s youth system in 2000 at the age of 13 and eventually became the club’s all-time record goalscorer, appearance-maker and trophy winner.
During his Barcelona career, he made 778 appearances, scored 672 goals and won 35 trophies, according to the club.
His honours included four Champions League titles, 10 Spanish league championships and seven Copa del Rey trophies.
Emotional Farewell
Messi’s final appearance for Argentina was marked by an emotional ceremony at the Monumental, where more than 85,000 supporters gathered to celebrate his contribution to the national team.
The Argentine captain was visibly moved throughout the farewell, while supporters, teammates and opponents paid tribute to his career.
With his final appearance, Messi leaves Argentina after more than two decades at international level, having transformed his early years of disappointment into a career defined by major trophies and records.
Barcelona described the occasion as an emotional farewell to a player whose footballing story continues with Inter Miami, even though his Argentina chapter has now come to an end.
