Rodrigo De Paul led the tributes to his close friend Lionel Messi following his final Argentina appearance, saying the legendary forward helped him grow both as a player and a person.

Messi won his 208th and final cap for Argentina on Tuesday, as La Albiceleste beat Benin 3-0 on an emotional occasion at the Estadio Monumental.

Messi assisted goals for Nicolas Otamendi and Nico Paz before scoring Argentina's third from the penalty spot, taking his overall tally in international football to 126, 61 of which have come since Lionel Scaloni took charge in 2018.

The 39-year-old ended the game ranked first for shots (nine), shots on target (five), expected goals (1.97 xG), touches in the opposition box (12), chances created (four), dribbles (four) and final-third passes (41).

Some of Messi's team-mates were in tears ahead of kick-off, and after the forward addressed the crowd at full-time, De Paul was among those to heap praise upon him.

The midfielder – also a team-mate of Messi's at club level with Inter Miami – said: "He made me grow not only as a footballer, but also as a person.

"I became a better person, a better human being, a better athlete, a better father and a better friend.

"I want to tell him that I love him. He knows that he is my brother and that he has an enormous heart."

Angel Di Maria was among the other members of Argentina's 2022 World Cup-winning squad that made guest appearances at the game, having announced his own international retirement in 2024, and the Rosario Central winger was delighted to see his former team-mate receive a fitting send-off.

"Seeing him with so much happiness, and that tranquillity of knowing that he gave everything he had, is what makes us all happy," Di Maria said. "I will thank him for life."

Other tributes came in across social media, with Neymar – who won the Champions League alongside Messi at Barcelona in 2015 – among the biggest names to address Messi's farewell.

Neymar wrote on Instagram: "It's not just Argentina that thanks you, the world thanks you for everything you have done for football.

"Thank you for making me love football even more. It was an honour to have played against you and even more so to make history by your side."