Messi: My Last Match with Argentina Was the Saddest Day of My Career
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Lionel Messi officially bids farewell to the Argentine national team after his final match against Benin, where he scored his last goal and provided two assists, in a sad occasion but one he does not regret.
Translated by Qiyas from الأنباء — Original source
Lionel Messi described his retirement from international football as “the saddest day of my career,” following his final match for the Argentine national team in a 3-0 friendly victory over Benin in Buenos Aires. Messi came onto the pitch after the match, in which he scored a goal and provided two assists, at the Monumental Stadium, expressing his gratitude to fans and teammates and reflecting on his 21-year career with the Argentine national team.
Speaking to the crowd after the game, Messi said, “It was a great source of pride for me to wear this shirt for more than 20 years. Even in the worst moments we went through, and those I personally experienced, I never stopped fighting, and I never stopped being here.”
He added, “Not coming back here again will be extremely painful. I would have liked to play for my entire life, because playing for the Argentine national team is the most beautiful thing that can happen to anyone.”
Messi noted that returning to the Monumental Stadium, where Argentina played its first match after winning the 2022 World Cup, was an occasion where joy and sadness were intertwined. He continued, “I am here now on the saddest day of my career, the day I must say goodbye to the Argentine national team, and goodbye to all of you.”
Despite his sadness, Messi affirmed that he does not regret the timing of his international retirement, pointing to the tremendous effort the Argentine national team exerted during this year’s World Cup campaign, when they reached the final before losing to Spain.
The 39-year-old, who has earned 208 caps and scored 126 goals for Argentina, played the full match in front of more than 80,000 spectators at the Monumental Stadium.
Messi was the standout player for his country, scoring his 126th and final international goal from a penalty kick in the 70th minute, while also creating two goals, raising his total assists to 67 for the Albiceleste. From a corner kick, he set up defender Nicolás Otamendi in the 48th minute; Otamendi, also 38 years old, played his final match for the Argentine national team. Messi also delivered a crucial pass to Nicolás Paz, who scored the second goal in the 60th minute.
