Lionel Messi ended his remarkable Argentina career in style, scoring once and providing two assists as the world champions defeated Benin 3-0 at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires on Tuesday night.
The farewell appearance marked the end of Messi’s 21-year international career, with more than 85,000 fans turning out to celebrate one of football’s greatest players.
Messi set up Nicolás Otamendi for Argentina’s opening goal from a corner in the 48th minute before assisting Nico Paz for the second in the 61st minute.
The 39-year-old then completed the scoring from the penalty spot in the 71st minute, ensuring he was directly involved in all three goals.
Messi leaves international football as Argentina’s most-capped player and all-time leading scorer, finishing with 208 appearances and 126 goals.
“It was a huge source of pride for me to wear this shirt all this time, more than 20 years,” Messi said after the match. “Playing for Argentina is the most beautiful thing that can happen to you.”
The occasion also carried a strong Nigerian connection, with former Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr leading Benin against Messi.
Rohr, who faced the Argentine while coaching Nigeria at the 2018 World Cup, described the farewell as a major honour.
Benin goalkeeper Marcel Dandjinou had insisted before the game that his side would compete seriously rather than simply provide a ceremonial opponent, saying, “We are not here to do tourism in Argentina.”
Despite Benin’s competitive intentions, Argentina produced a fitting farewell performance for their captain, who bows out with a World Cup, two Copa América titles and a legacy unlikely to be matched.
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