Lionel Messi scored in his final appearance for Argentina as the world champions defeated Benin 3-0 on Tuesday, October 6, at the Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires.
The farewell match closed a 21-year international career for Argentina’s captain. The Argentine Football Association said Nicolás Otamendi opened the scoring, Nicolás Paz added the second goal and Messi completed the victory with Argentina’s third.
A farewell in Buenos Aires
Argentina and Benin were scoreless at halftime before the home side broke through after the interval. The celebration was built around Messi’s final national-team appearance, but the match remained competitive until Otamendi’s opener changed its shape.
More than 85,000 spectators attended, according to reports from The Associated Press and Reuters. Messi’s goal gave the crowd a final signature moment in the stadium where he had played many of Argentina’s most important home matches.
The Argentine Football Association’s match report, published October 6, confirms the 3-0 score and the three scorers. An additional AFA account of the ceremony describes the evening as a tribute to the captain.
Messi’s Argentina record
The match was Messi’s 208th senior appearance for Argentina and his 126th international goal, according to The Associated Press and Reuters. Those totals extend records he already held for his country.
His international career included Argentina’s 2022 World Cup title and Copa América championships in 2021 and 2024. Those trophies followed years of near misses and transformed the final phase of his national-team career into one of sustained success.
Messi made his senior Argentina debut in 2005. Over the next two decades, he played in five World Cups, captained the national team and became the central figure in a generation that also won the 2022 Finalissima.
What comes next
Retirement from international football does not end Messi’s club career. He remains under contract with Inter Miami, giving supporters additional opportunities to see him play even as Argentina begins a new era without him.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said after the match that the team must move forward while preserving the standards and identity developed during Messi’s tenure. The transition will include both tactical changes and a new leadership structure.
Because the match is complete, the 3-0 score is final. Any later ceremonial events, squad changes or decisions about Messi’s club career would be separate developments and should be confirmed by the relevant team or governing body.
Sources and continuing coverage
The official AFA reports provide the match result and scoring sequence. The Associated Press and Reuters reported attendance and career totals.
For more verified results and team news, visit AskNovus’ Sports desk and Soccer section.
Featured image: A football crowd in Buenos Aires, photographed by Cristian Tarzi via Unsplash. The image is illustrative and does not show Messi’s farewell match.