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Lionel Messi has played his final match for Argentina. On Tuesday, October 6, the 39-year-old captain scored a penalty and set up two goals in a 3-0 friendly win over Benin at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires. In Bangladesh, the match ended early on Wednesday morning. (Source: ESPN, Outlook India)
As Messi retires from Argentina, he leaves as the country’s most-capped player and all-time top scorer, with 208 matches and 126 goals. However, his playing career is not over. He will keep playing club football for Inter Miami in the United States. (Source: FIFA, MLS)
Messi Retires From Argentina With One Last Goal
The night belonged to one man. Before kickoff, a giant Argentina shirt with the No. 10 and the word “Gracias” lay on the pitch. Then, in the 10th minute, the game stopped so more than 85,000 fans could stand and applaud their captain. (Source: Outlook India)
The first half ended 0-0. After the break, however, Messi’s corner led to a headed goal by Nicolás Otamendi in the 48th minute. Nico Paz then doubled the lead after Messi helped build the attack. (Source: ESPN, Outlook India)
Finally, Messi got his own goal. Argentina won a penalty after a foul on AgustÃn Giay, and Messi fired the kick into the roof of the net with about 20 minutes left. It was his 126th and last goal for his country. (Source: ESPN)
Why Messi Retired From Argentina Now
Messi announced his decision on August 31, about six weeks after Argentina lost the 2026 World Cup final 1-0 to Spain after extra time. In a handwritten note on Instagram, he said the choice hurt, but the time had come. (Source: ESPN)
“I swear to you that I always gave it my all,” he told fans in that message. After that, the Argentine Football Association set up the Benin friendly so he could say goodbye at home. (Source: ESPN, FIFA)
Even so, his last World Cup was special. At 39, he scored eight goals and made four assists to lead Argentina to the final. He also won the Silver Ball as the tournament’s second-best player. (Source: NBC Philadelphia, FourFourTwo)
From Rosario to Barcelona: Where It All Began
Lionel Andrés Messi was born on June 24, 1987, in Rosario, Argentina. As a boy, he played for local club Newell’s Old Boys. Around the age of 10 or 11, doctors found that his body did not produce enough growth hormone, and the treatment was very costly. (Source: Wikipedia)
At 13, he moved to Spain after Barcelona agreed to pay for his treatment. He then joined the club’s famous La Masia youth academy. On October 16, 2004, he made his official first-team debut at 17, and he scored his first senior goal on May 1, 2005. (Source: Wikipedia)
How Messi Became the World’s Best Player
Barcelona became the stage for his rise. Over 17 seasons, he played 778 matches and scored 672 goals, the most by any player for a single club. In that time, he won four UEFA Champions League titles and 10 Spanish league titles. (Source: beIN Sports, Wikipedia)
He also won the Ballon d’Or, football’s top individual award, a record eight times between 2009 and 2023. In 2012 alone, he scored 91 goals, a calendar-year record. (Source: Wikipedia)
His style explains much of that success. Close ball control, quick changes of direction and a low center of gravity made him very hard to stop. At the same time, he created goals as well as he scored them.
In 2021, Barcelona’s money problems forced him to leave. As a result, he spent two seasons at Paris Saint-Germain, where he scored 32 goals in 75 matches and won two French league titles. (Source: beIN Sports, Wikipedia)
Messi’s Argentina Journey: Pain Before Glory
His Argentina story began badly. On August 17, 2005, he received a red card about 90 seconds into his debut against Hungary. (Source: Outlook India)
For years after that, finals brought heartbreak. Argentina lost the 2014 World Cup final to Germany, and then lost the 2015 and 2016 Copa América finals to Chile. After the 2016 defeat, Messi briefly quit the national team, but he soon came back. (Source: Wikipedia)
Later, the reward finally came. Messi led Argentina to the Copa América title in 2021, the World Cup in Qatar in 2022 and another Copa América in 2024. Overall, he played in eight major finals for Argentina, winning three and losing five. He also won Olympic gold in 2008. (Source: Al Jazeera, Yahoo Sports)
Messi Career Stats: Matches, Goals, Wins and Trophies
| Team | Years | Matches | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barcelona | 2004-2021 | 778 | 672 |
| Paris Saint-Germain | 2021-2023 | 75 | 32 |
| Inter Miami | 2023-present | 115+ | 100+ |
| Argentina | 2005-2026 | 208 | 126 |
| Career total | 2004-2026 | About 1,178 | About 932 |
(Source: Messistat, beIN Sports. Totals include the Benin match and may differ slightly between stat providers.)
Before the Benin match, one detailed match database listed 788 wins, 229 draws and 160 defeats across his 1,177 official games. The farewell victory takes his win total to 789. (Source: Messivsronaldo.app)
For Argentina, he sits second in men’s international scoring, behind Cristiano Ronaldo’s 146 goals for Portugal. At World Cups, he played a record 34 matches and scored 21 goals. In total, he has won about 48 team trophies, the most by any men’s player, though counts vary slightly. (Source: Yahoo Sports, Messi vs Ronaldo, CBS News)
Is Messi Retiring From Football Completely?
No. Messi’s retirement from Argentina does not end his playing career. His contract with Inter Miami runs through the 2028 MLS season. (Source: MLS)
In Miami, he has already led the club to its first major trophies. These include the 2023 Leagues Cup, the 2024 Supporters’ Shield and the 2025 MLS Cup, where he set up two goals in a 3-1 final win over Vancouver. More recently, he added the Campeones Cup, his fourth trophy with the club. (Source: CBS News, Outlook India)
What Messi’s Farewell Means for Fans
For Argentina, the night closed a chapter that lasted 21 years. Coach Lionel Scaloni has said Messi could still return one day if he wished, but for now, the No. 10 era is over. (Source: Yahoo Sports)
The moment also matters far beyond Buenos Aires. Argentina has passionate fans in Bangladesh and among Bangladeshi communities in the United States. For them, this farewell marks the end of a generation. Meanwhile, fans in America can still watch Messi play in MLS until his contract ends.
FAQs
Q1. Has Lionel Messi retired from football?
No. Messi has retired only from the Argentina national team. He still plays for Inter Miami, and his contract runs through the 2028 MLS season.
Q2. When was Messi’s last match for Argentina?
His last match was a friendly against Benin on October 6, 2026, at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires. Argentina won 3-0. In Bangladesh, it was early morning on October 7.
Q3. How many goals did Messi score for Argentina?
Messi scored 126 goals in 208 matches for Argentina. Both are national records. His last goal came from a penalty against Benin.
Q4. How many trophies has Messi won in his career?
By most counts, he has won about 48 team trophies. These include the 2022 World Cup, two Copa América titles and four Champions League titles. He has also won a record eight Ballon d’Or awards.
Q5. How many career goals has Messi scored?
Messi has scored more than 930 official goals in about 1,178 matches for club and country. Exact totals differ slightly between stat providers.
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