Messi's Argentina farewell: a win over Benin, but what comes next?

Lionel Messi played his final match for Argentina on October 6, 2026, scoring one goal and providing two assists as Argentina beat Benin 3-0 in a friendly in Buenos Aires.

The result gave the farewell a competitive shape rather than a ceremonial one. Messi's direct involvement in all three goals meant the match was decided by the same player whose exit it marked.

The 3-0 scoreline closed a national-team career that began in 2005. According to the supplied reporting, Messi leaves as Argentina's most-capped player and its all-time leading scorer. One report puts his appearance total at 208 caps. His final international goal count is not established by the available evidence.

The retirement did not arrive as a single clean break. Messi announced his international retirement on August 31, after Argentina lost the 2026 World Cup final to Spain. He then returned for the Benin friendly, which served as his last appearance. The sequence matters: the August announcement followed a defeat, while the October match ended with a win and three goal contributions.

Argentina now moves forward without the player who has been central to its recent international success. The supplied reporting does not say what role, if any, Messi will hold with the national team after retiring from international football.

One detail remains less settled than the rest. The reporting identifies Messi as an Inter Miami star but does not explicitly state his 2026 club roster status, so his club situation should not be described more definitively than the evidence supports.

What is clear is the record of the final match: a 3-0 Argentina win, one goal, two assists, and the end of an international career that ran from 2005 to 2026.

- https://www.thehindu.com/sport/football/messi-retires-from-international-football-as-argentina-defeat-benin-in-friendly-match/article71554139.ece - https://sportstar.thehindu.com/football/lionel-messi-argentina-international-career-timeline-major-milestones-debut-goals-retirement-news/article71551788.ece/amp/ - https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/why-lionel-messis-argentina-farewell-192238472.html