Argentina captain Lionel Messi has admitted he already misses wearing the country’s famous sky-blue and white shirt after bringing his international career to an emotional close. Messi played his final game for Argentina on October 6, 2026, scoring from the penalty spot and providing two assists as the Argentines defeated Benin 3-0 at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires. The match was attended by more than 85,000 supporters.
Messi made his 208th appearance for the national team, ending a 21-year international career that saw him become Argentina’s most-capped player and all-time leading scorer. His final appearance at the Monumental ended with a goal, two assists and an emotional farewell, a fitting final chapter for one of football’s greatest-ever players. Messi’s Argentina career began in 2005 and was marked by both disappointment and historic success.
Messi endured criticism after losing the 2014 World Cup final and consecutive Copa América finals in 2015 and 2016. That changed in 2021 when he led Argentina to Copa América glory, ending the country’s 28-year wait for a major senior international trophy. He added the Finalissima in 2022 before captaining Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar later that year.
Those triumphs transformed Messi’s relationship with the Argentina shirt. The player once criticised for failing to deliver an international trophy became the captain who brought some of the biggest honours in world football back to Argentina. Messi assisted Nicolás Otamendi and Nico Paz before converting a second-half penalty for his 126th and final international goal.
Reflecting on his farewell, Messi posted on his social media on Wednesday, October 7, saying he was certain he had made the right decision despite already missing the shirt he had worn for more than two decades. “Yesterday was my final match, and I already miss wearing the sky blue and white. I know I’m making the right decision. It’s been an incredible journey, full of joy and also some sadness, but I know that every step I took was worth it.”
Messi also paid tribute to Argentine football legend Diego Maradona, remembering the late World Cup winner and his lasting impact on the country. “I don’t want to forget Diego, who put our country where it deserved to be and who, as I always say, I know helped us by being there with us, also from heaven, every step of the way.”
The farewell performance was fitting for a player who has produced some of the most memorable moments in Argentina’s football history. After 208 appearances, 126 goals and more than two decades with the national team, Messi now walks away with his international legacy firmly established.
Key points
- Messi ends 21-year international career with Argentina
- Messi pays tribute to Argentine football legend Diego Maradona
- Messi’s final appearance at the Monumental ended with a goal, two assists and an emotional farewell
