Lionel Messi has officially brought his Argentina national-team career to an emotional close, saying goodbye to the supporters, teammates and shirt he represented for two decades.

Messi delivered his farewell message after Argentina defeated Benin 3–0 at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires on Tuesday night. The occasion marked the end of an extraordinary international career that included the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Copa América titles and the Finalissima.

“Playing for Argentina Is the Most Beautiful Thing”

In his emotional speech, Messi said that leaving the Argentina national team would hurt deeply and admitted that, if the decision were entirely his, he would have wanted to remain with the national team for the rest of his life.

He reflected on the sacrifices made throughout his career and said he never stopped fighting, pushing forward and giving everything for Argentina, even during the most difficult periods.

Messi also acknowledged that the time had come to retire from international football, describing the moment as extremely difficult because he did not want the farewell to end. His remarks were delivered to a packed Monumental stadium as supporters celebrated his extraordinary contribution to Argentine football.

A Career Defined by Historic Triumphs

Messi reflected on the journey that eventually brought Argentina to the top of world football. He highlighted the 2021 Copa América, the 2022 Finalissima and, above all, the 2022 World Cup victory in Qatar.

For Messi, the World Cup was the fulfilment of a childhood dream shared with an entire nation. He also stressed that the achievement belonged to a much larger group of players who had fought alongside him for Argentina long before the country finally became world champions.

He praised his teammates as warriors and credited the strength and unity of the group for helping Argentina overcome difficult moments and achieve the biggest prizes in international football.

Messi Thanks Argentina’s Supporters

The Argentine captain also devoted much of his farewell to the supporters who followed the national team across the country and around the world.

He recalled playing in different cities across Argentina and experiencing extraordinary support wherever the team travelled. He urged supporters to continue backing the national team, particularly during difficult periods, stressing the importance of strong and united teams.

Messi said the atmosphere created by Argentine supporters often made international matches feel like home, regardless of where the team was playing.

“Today Might Be One of the Saddest”

Returning to the Monumental for his final appearance made the occasion particularly emotional for Messi. He recalled the stadium as the place where Argentina celebrated its first home match after becoming world champions in 2022.

He described that earlier celebration as one of the happiest days of his life, while his farewell represented one of the saddest.

Messi told supporters that he would continue supporting the national team and the players who follow him, making clear that his connection with Argentina would continue even after his international playing career ended.

His Father Was the First Person on His Mind

One of the most emotional moments came when Messi spoke about his father, Jorge, who died recently. Messi said that amid the many emotions surrounding his farewell, his father was the first person who came to his mind.

The moment added a deeply personal dimension to an already emotional goodbye and reflected the significance of family throughout Messi’s journey.

A Final Thank You

Messi ended his farewell by expressing love and pride for Argentina and saying he was leaving grateful, proud and at peace.

His final appearance came after 20 years of representing Argentina, closing a chapter that included some of the most difficult moments in the country’s modern football history as well as its greatest triumphs.

Argentina’s 3–0 victory over Benin provided a fitting final competitive stage for the captain, who scored once and assisted twice before saying goodbye to the national team.

After two decades in the Albiceleste shirt, Lionel Messi’s Argentina story has reached its final chapter—but his legacy as one of the country’s greatest footballers will remain.