Lionel Messi enjoyed a fairy tale farewell as he scored on his last appearance for Argentina in a 3-0 win over Benin in Buenos Aires.

2026 Friendlies

3-0

Match Report 

The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, who announced his retirement from international football after defeat in the World Cup final, was invited to participate in the friendly to celebrate his career, with all his teammates from Argentina's triumphant 2022 World Cup squad invited.

The 39-year-old ends his international career with 208 senior caps, the most of any player in the team's history, with his 126 goals for Argentina also a record. He is the only player to start three World Cup finals.

Messi had been threatened to be upstaged by another departing Argentina player, 38-year-old centre-back Nicolás Otamendi, when the latter opened the scoring shortly after half-time, with Nico Paz adding a second.

Inevitably Messi had the final word, firing a spot-kick into the roof of the net with 20 minutes remaining to sign off his remarkable international career in style.

Messi was denied by Benin goalkeeper Marcel Dandjinou after seven minutes before the visitors almost took a shock lead when Aiyegun Tosin volleyed wide.

Messi turned a cross narrowly wide midway through the first half and was off-target again in the 33rd minute.

Emi Martinez denied Junior Olaitan before the break and three minutes after the interval Otamendi fired home after Benin failed to clear a Messi corner.

Dandjinou kept out an Enzo Fernández header before Paz doubled Argentina's lead from the edge of the area after 61 minutes.

Messi's moment came 10 minutes later when Tamimou Ouorou's clumsy challenge on Agustín Giay resulted in a penalty, which the Inter Miami forward blasted into the top corner for his 126th and last international goal.

Dandjinou denied Leonel Flores late on before Messi bid the crowd an emotional goodbye at full-time.

Match Events

0' The match is about to start!


0' Messi, Lautaro and others are warming up


0' Broadcast shows highlights of Messi's international career


0' A giant No. 10 shirt is displayed in the stadium


0' Match Event for Argentina vs Benin


0' Fans in the stands display a Messi tifo


0' Antonela and Di María appear at the stadium


0' Simeone and Mastantuono high-five a young fan


0' Messi walks into the player tunnel and hugs the children



0' Messi leads Argentina onto the pitch


0' Scaloni is red-eyed from crying during the national anthem


0' During the national anthem, Messi already has red eyes from crying


0' Benin player presents Messi with a sculpture and clothes


0' Match pauses in the 10th minute, players on the pitch and fans applaud in tribute to Messi


0' Match Event for Argentina vs Benin


0' Messi meets a teammate's pass and slides his shot wide


0' Highlight from Argentina vs Benin


0' Highlight from Argentina vs Benin


0' Highlight from Argentina vs Benin


3' Messi takes a short corner


3' Romero fouls


6' Match Event for Argentina vs Benin


7' Messi drops his shoulder to get past, his shot is saved by the goalkeeper


8' Match Event for Argentina vs Benin


14' Match Event for Argentina vs Benin


15' Match Event for Argentina vs Benin


17' Tosin attacks the cross and heads over the bar


18' Highlight from Argentina vs Benin


19' Olaitan shoots wide from close range


27' Messi's free kick is saved by the goalkeeper



30' Lautaro heads it out over the byline


30' Highlight from Argentina vs Benin

32' Match Event for Argentina vs Benin


33' Lautaro passes, Messi shoots wide from close range in the box




41' Match Event for Argentina vs Benin

42' Highlight from Argentina vs Benin

43' Olaitan shoots from the edge of the box, Martínez gathers it


44' Messi threads a through ball, Álvarez's shot is blocked


44' Yellow Card! Otamendi booked


45' Highlight from Argentina vs Benin

48' GOAL! Messi takes the corner, Otamendi heads it in! Argentina 1-0 Benin



52' Match Event for Argentina vs Benin


53' Highlight from Argentina vs Benin


55' Yellow Card! Mohamed Tijani booked


58' Paz and González come on for De Paul and Álvarez


59' Messi is fouled as he breaks through


60' Highlight from Argentina vs Benin


61' GOAL! Messi assists again, Paz scores from distance! Argentina 2-0 Benin (Nico Paz)



70' GOAL! Messi scores from the spot in his international farewell match! Argentina 3-0 Benin




72' Match Event for Argentina vs Benin


73' Match Event for Argentina vs Benin


75' Messi's side-footed shot from inside the box goes wide


79' Highlight from Argentina vs Benin


82' Mastantuono shoots wide at the far post on the follow-up


87' Match Event for Argentina vs Benin


Line-ups

Argentina XI: Messi, Otamendi, E. Martinez, Tagliafico, De Paul, Lautaro, Cristian Romero, Mac Allister, Alvarez, Enzo, Agustín Giay

Subs: Gerónimo Rulli, Musso, Lo Celso, Exequiel Palacios, N. Gonzalez, Facundo Medina, Lisandro Martinez, Balerdi, José Manuel López, Giuliano Simeone, Valentín Barco, Nico Paz, Gianluca Prestianni, Franco Mastantuono, Leonel Flores

Benin XI: Sessi D'Almeida, Yohan Roche, Aiyegun Tosin, Marcel Dandjinou, Mohamed Tijani, Junior Olaitan, Tamimou Ouorou, Imourane Hassane, Liam Omore, Rodolfo Aloko, Yamirou Ouorou

Subs: Saturnin Allagbé, Jodel Dossou, Mattéo Ahlinvi, Amiro Amadou, Serge Obassa, Olatoundji Tessilimi, Ede Oloko, Charlemagne Azongnitode, Attidjikou Samadou, Sahid Ngobi, Junior Olugbade