Lionel Messi has admitted that saying goodbye to Argentina is likely to be one of the saddest moments of his extraordinary football career, as the prospect of never again representing his country weighs heavily on the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner.
The emotional farewell followed Argentina’s 3–0 victory over Benin, in which Messi once again played a decisive role. The veteran playmaker scored one goal and provided two assists, helping his side secure a comfortable victory before addressing more than 85,000 supporters at the Monumental Stadium.
For a player whose career has been defined by historic achievements, the occasion was less about another victory and more about the end of a deeply personal relationship with the national team.
Messi reflected on the first match Argentina played after their World Cup triumph, describing the night as a memory he would never forget. He said he still watches footage from those matches and becomes emotional when recalling what they meant to him and the country.
“The day of my farewell from the national team may be the saddest day of my career,” Messi said, underlining the emotional weight of his departure.
His international journey has been far from straightforward. Messi spent years carrying the expectations of an entire footballing nation while enduring painful defeats in major finals. The pressure was particularly intense because of Argentina’s long wait for a major international trophy.
That difficult period eventually gave way to one of the most successful chapters in the country’s modern football history. Argentina won the Copa América in 2021, giving Messi his first major senior international title with the national side. A year later, the team reached the summit of world football by winning the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The World Cup triumph completed one of the most significant ambitions of Messi’s career. After years of criticism and disappointment, he finally lifted the game’s biggest international trophy with the country he had represented since his youth.
That success also strengthened his bond with Argentina’s supporters. The relationship had not always been easy, but the victories of recent years turned the national team into a source of immense pride for both Messi and the millions who had followed his career.
During his farewell, Messi also looked towards the future. He promised to support the players who will represent Argentina after his departure and said he would continue backing the national side from outside the pitch.
Speaking to the huge crowd at the Monumental, Messi stressed the importance of unity. When Argentina stands together, he said, the team becomes much stronger than its opponents.
Despite everything he has achieved, Messi made no attempt to hide how difficult it was to leave. He said he did not want to leave the place or football itself, while expressing his affection for the supporters and acknowledging that he would miss them greatly.
The 39-year-old also spoke proudly about his identity as an Argentine. Representing his country and fulfilling the dream he had carried since childhood, he said, were sources of immense pride.
Messi’s international legacy therefore extends well beyond goals, assists and trophies. It is a story of early promise, painful setbacks, relentless criticism, eventual redemption and historic success.
His final performance against Benin offered a fitting reflection of that journey: a goal, two assists and a victory, followed by an emotional farewell. The numbers may eventually fade into the record books, but the connection between Messi and Argentina is likely to remain one of the defining stories of his remarkable career.
