BUENOS AIRES, Oct 7 — Lionel Messi delivered one last masterclass in blue and white yesterday as Argentina's captain brought the curtain down on his extraordinary 21-year international career with a goal and two assists in a 3-0 friendly win over Benin.
The 39-year-old's final appearance before more than 85,000 fans at a packed Monumental Stadium was less about football and more a national celebration of Messi's service to the national team.
Landmarks across the capital glowed in the team's iconic sky blue and white colours, while fireworks lit up the skies above the packed stadium as fans poured their hearts into a rendition of Argentina's national anthem.
Messi's family watched proudly from the stands alongside members of Argentina's World Cup-winning teams of 1978, 1986 and 2022.
Hours earlier, a massive No 10 shirt emblazoned with "Gracias" was unfurled at the National Flag Memorial in Rosario, Messi's hometown.
As the team bus travelled from the training centre bearing his name, Messi wiped away tears as thousands of fans lined the route.
When the teams took to the pitch, Benin's captain appeared lost for words as he handed Messi a gift and a letter during the pre-match handshake.
After a goalless first half, Messi provided the assist for Nicolas Otamendi to tap home Argentina's opener.
Otamendi had spent 17 years alongside Messi in the national team, including four World Cups, and was also bringing his international career to a close.
Messi then set up Nico Paz, one of the players seen as a potential successor to Argentina's No 10 shirt, to score the second goal.
In a fairytale ending, Messi converted a penalty to make it 3-0, scoring his 126th international goal and prompting another round of "Messi, Messi" chants from the crowd.
At the final whistle, teammates, opponents and the referee gathered around Messi to embrace him before a drone show lit up the sky to mark the end of his magnificent Argentina career.
Messi leaves as the country's most-capped player with 208 appearances and its all-time leading scorer, having transformed years of frustration on the international stage into a story of World Cup and Copa America triumphs.
For years, Argentina asked Messi to deliver. Yesterday, it simply came to say "Thank you".
