Lionel Messi says he is “grateful, proud and at peace” after his glittering Argentina career ended with a goal against Benin on an emotional night in Buenos Aires.
The 39-year-old, playing his 208th and final international game, converted a second-half penalty and registered two assists in a comfortable 3-0 friendly win.
Messi, who announced his international retirement in August, was playing his first game for Argentina since the death of his father, Jorge, aged 68 following a long illness.
After the match, he addressed the crowd with a speech spanning nearly 10 minutes, with some of his team-mates – including Manchester City’s Enzo Fernandez – in tears as Messi admitted he did not want to leave the field.
“There are so many emotions going through me right now,” he said. “I’m surely forgetting many things I would like to say because this is a very difficult moment for me. The first person who comes to my mind is my dad.
“I leave grateful, proud and at peace. Thank you for everything.”
Messi played the full 90 minutes before the 85,000-strong sell-out crowd inside the Monumental were treated to a laser light show, live music and presentations.
When he made his announcement in August, Messi said the decision to retire “hurt” but that “the time has come”.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner said he had written his retirement message on 21 July, two days after Argentina lost to Spain in this summer’s World Cup final.
Messi made his debut for Argentina in 2005 as a 63rd-minute substitute in a 2-1 friendly win over Hungary. However, he was shown a straight red card less than a minute later, after he swung his arm and his elbow connected with full-back Vilmos Vanczak.
Despite his tough start on the international stage, Messi went on to become one of the all-time greats, winning the World Cup and two Copa America titles with Argentina.
He is the second-highest goalscorer in World Cup history, with 21, behind France’s Kylian Mbappe (22), and second for goals in all internationals (126) behind his great contemporary and rival, Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo (146).
