Lionel Messi Retires from International Football After 21 Years with Argentina
Tania Shah
Article Editor
Lionel Messi brings his international career with Argentina to a close after 21 years, leaving behind a legacy of historic victories, including the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
After 21 years with , Lionel Messi played what was reported to be his final international match on Tuesday, October 6, 2026. beat Benin 3–0 at the Estadio in Buenos Aires. For the fans in the stands, the night was about more than the score. They had come to a captain who had given them years of football.
Messi leaves the national team with 208 and 126 goals. He also helped win two Copa América titles and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
One Last Night in Blue and White
The first half ended without a goal, but found its rhythm after the break. Messi set up Nicolás Otamendi to open the scoring, then assisted Nico Paz for the second goal. He scored the third himself from the penalty spot. It was a fitting way to finish the night, with Messi involved in every goal.
When the match ended, his gathered around him as and sang his name. The crowd had watched him both painful defeats and major in an shirt. This time, they had come to say thank you.
The farewell also came after 's reported loss to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final. Playing in Buenos Aires gave Messi the chance to leave the national team in front of his own . He spoke about how proud he was to his country and how it would be to stop playing for . His time with the national team may be over, but he to play for Inter Miami.
More than 85,000 fans were reported to have attended the match, giving one final to the captain who helped lead through some of the most years in its football history. The occasion was about more than the result, as fans gathered to the years of , hard work and Messi had given to his country.
The Road to the Titles
Winning with took longer than many had expected. Messi made his senior international debut against Hungary in August 2005, but it lasted only about 90 seconds before he was sent off. Years later, he was still chasing a major senior title with his country.
lost the 2014 World Cup final to Germany. The team then fell short in the 2015 and 2016 Copa América finals. After the second defeat, Messi his from international football, only to change his mind and return. At the time, some wondered whether he would ever win a major trophy with .
Things finally changed in 2021. defeated Brazil to win the Copa América, ending a 28-year wait for a major senior international title. The team followed that victory by beating Italy in the 2022 . Later that year, won the World Cup in Qatar. Messi scored seven goals at the and received the Golden Ball, awarded to its best player.
won the Copa América again in 2024. After so many near misses, Messi and his had finally given the country a run of major . Those wins became an part of his story with the national team.
The shifted the on Messi’s international career. His Copa América triumph in 2021 ended a long wait for senior international for , and the World Cup win in 2022 a quest that had eluded him for much of his career. He also won the 2024 Copa América title with the national team, another major for him.
A Career Beyond
Messi's club career his international journey. Born in Rosario on June 24, 1987, he moved to Spain at 13 and joined 's youth system in 2000. He appeared for the first team in a friendly in 2003 before making his official debut in 2004.
became the club where he spent much of his career and won 35 first-team trophies. These included four League titles and 10 La Liga . Fans came to know him for his close control, quick movement, vision, and ability to score as well as create goals. He left in 2021, played for Paris Saint-Germain, and joined Inter Miami in 2023.
His awards tell another part of the story. Messi has won the Ballon d'Or eight times, more than any other player. Earlier in his career, he also won the FIFA World Youth in 2005 and Olympic gold with in 2008.
His career at him as one of the most players in club football. His in Spain and Europe ran his pursuit of international honours with , giving him success at both club and national-team level. His move to Inter Miami in 2023 marked a new chapter in his playing career, while he to attract from around the world.
A Legacy Beyond the Numbers
Messi's final match brought many of the that had made him such an player for together in one evening. He created chances, assisted his , and scored himself. But his to the national team is about more than . followed him through years of before the they had waited so long to see.
now faces the task of moving forward without the captain who the country for more than two decades. Messi leaves behind a record of goals, , and major titles that will remain part of football history. For the fans who gathered in Buenos Aires, the farewell was a chance to his career and the memories he gave them.
His legacy extends beyond trophies and records. Through the tough losses, his comeback from international , and ’s eventual victory on the world stage, Messi built a deep with that spanned his career. It was a moment to that journey and the impact he had on soccer, and the reported goodbye in Buenos Aires made that happen. His with and his clubs have made him one of the most figures in football, and his will remain part of the sport long after his international career comes to an end.
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