Messi’s reported Argentina farewell ends with 3–0 win over Benin
Lionel Messi scored a penalty and assisted two goals in his 208th appearance, which Fox Sports describes as his final match for Argentina.
Lionel Messi’s 208th appearance for Argentina ended with a 3–0 friendly win over Benin at Buenos Aires’ Monumental Stadium. Fox Sports describes the match as his final appearance for the national team, closing a 21-year international career.
Messi assisted Nicolás Otamendi’s opener in the 48th minute and Nico Paz’s goal in the 61st, then scored from the penalty spot ten minutes later. The result extended Argentina’s record of success on a night centred on the captain’s departure.
The match included a tribute around the 10th minute, when the referee paused play and supporters gave Messi a standing ovation. The crowd also offered a final reception after the match.
Messi made his senior debut for Argentina in 2005. The reports credit him with 126 international goals, a 2022 World Cup title and two Copa América titles.
The supplied account says Messi had announced that his time with Argentina was ending, but does not include a direct retirement announcement. It identifies the Benin match as his final appearance.
