Lionel Messi has officially said goodbye to the Argentina national team, bringing the curtain down on one of the greatest international careers football has ever witnessed.
On October 6, 2026, Messi made his final appearance for Argentina in a special farewell match against Benin at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires. What began as an ordinary international friendly became an emotional celebration of a player who has given Argentine football some of its most unforgettable moments.
At 39, Messi leaves the national team after more than two decades of representing the country. He finishes his Argentina career as the nation’s record appearance-maker and goalscorer, with 208 appearances and 126 goals.
From Criticism to Immortality
Messi’s journey with Argentina was not always easy.
After making his senior debut in 2005, expectations quickly became enormous. For years, he was compared with Diego Maradona and faced criticism whenever Argentina failed to win major trophies.
There were painful defeats in the 2014 World Cup final and the 2015 and 2016 Copa América finals. At one point, Messi even announced his retirement from international football before eventually returning.
But he refused to give up.
Everything changed when Argentina won the 2021 Copa América, giving Messi his first major senior international trophy with the country. A year later came the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where Messi finally lifted football’s biggest prize.
He went on to win another Copa América in 2024 and helped Argentina reach the 2026 World Cup final.
Beyond the numbers, however, Messi’s greatest achievement may be the emotional connection he created between a generation of Argentine supporters and their national team.
In his farewell message, he explained that the decision was painful but that he believed the time had come to step aside and allow younger players to take their opportunity.
His final farewell therefore represents more than the end of a football career with Argentina. It is the closing chapter of a story that lasted more than 20 years.
Messi Is Not Retiring From Football Yet
Although Messi has retired from international football, he has not retired from professional football altogether.
The Argentine superstar remains with Inter Miami, where he recently extended his contract through the end of the 2028 MLS season.
That means football fans will still have opportunities to watch Messi in club football, even though the sight of him wearing Argentina’s famous No. 10 shirt has now come to an end.
Goodbye, Captain
For Argentine supporters, Messi’s farewell is emotional because it marks the end of an era.
The young boy who arrived in Barcelona and eventually became Argentina’s captain has completed almost everything a footballer could dream of.