Messi calls ending Argentina career his 'saddest day' after 3-0 win over Benin
Lionel Messi described ending his Argentina career as the "saddest day" of his football life after playing his final game for the national team on 7 October 2026, a 3-0 defeat of Benin at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires; he scored and provided two assists and addressed the crowd after the victory.
Messi reflected on a 21-year international career and expressed gratitude to fans and teammates following the match. "It was a huge source of pride for me to defend this jersey for more than 20 years," Messi told the stadium. "Even in the worst moments we went through and that I had, I never stopped fighting, never stopped being here."
He acknowledged the emotional cost of leaving the team, saying: "Not coming any more is going to be deeply painful. I swear I’d like to play for the rest of my life, because playing for the Argentina national team is the most beautiful thing that can happen to you." Messi took the field after the game to thank supporters in person.
Messi described returning to the Monumental as a bittersweet moment, noting the stadium was where Argentina played their first game after winning the 2022 World Cup. "Now I’m here on the saddest day of my career, which is the day I have to say goodbye to the national team, goodbye to all of you," he said.
He said he had no regrets about the timing of his international retirement, citing the exertions of Argentina’s campaign at this year’s World Cup, where they battled through to the final only to lose to Spain. "Even though I want to be here all my life, I feel that this is the moment. The last World Cup was too much, everything I had to live through."
Messi described the tournament as an emotional rollercoaster that included a 2-1 defeat of England in the semi-final and said the England match took a heavy physical and emotional toll. "We had the dream of fulfilling my dream and the dream of the whole country, of becoming world champions again. In the last World Cup we were very close, and the reality is that nothing strange happened, as people say. The match against England took a huge toll on us physically, and emotionally it was very big."
He closed by pledging his support for the squad from the stands: "But now I’ll be on that side [with the fans], supporting all the boys, everyone who comes in. Always united." Messi made the remarks immediately after Argentina's win over Benin.