final appearance

Messi scores one last goal for Argentina in an emotional farewell

Messi finished his Argentina career with 208 appearances and 126 goals, leaving as the national team's record appearance holder and all-time leading scorer

Footballer Lionel Messi during the match between Argentina and Benin on 6 October 2026 in Buenos Aires

OCTOBER 7, 2026 10:00 AM EDTOCT 7, 2026, 10:00 AM EDT

Lionel Messi found the net one final time for Argentina, delivering the kind of ending that felt almost too perfectly scripted. The Argentine captain scored his 126th international goal on October 6, converting a second-half penalty as Argentina defeated Benin 3-0 at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires. It was Messi’s 208th and final appearance for the national team, closing a remarkable 21-year international career.

More than 85,000 fans packed the Monumental for a match that was always going to be about much more than the final score. They came to watch Messi in Argentina’s famous blue and white shirt for the last time.

Footballer Lionel Messi during the match between Argentina and Benin on 6 October 2026 in Buenos Aires (Argentina).

And Messi gave them one final goal to remember.

How Lionel Messi Scored His Last Goal for Argentina

Argentina entered halftime against Benin with the match still scoreless, but the second half quickly became a celebration of Messi’s influence.

Messi first created the opening goal for longtime teammate Nicolás Otamendi, delivering the ball from a corner for the defender to score. Otamendi was also making his final appearance for Argentina. Messi then provided another assist for Nico Paz, who finished from outside the penalty area to give Argentina a 2-0 advantage.

The match was the last time Leo Messi wears the Albiceleste shirt following his announcement that he is retiring from international football.

Then came the moment everyone inside the Monumental wanted. Agustín Giay was fouled inside the penalty area, giving Argentina a penalty. There was never much doubt about who would take it.

Messi stepped up and sent his penalty into the top corner in the 71st minute, beating the goalkeeper and making it 3-0.

It was goal No. 126 for Argentina. It was also the last for Lionel Messi.

Messi's final Argentina goal was a penalty against Benin on October 6, 2026, at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires. He scored in the 71st minute as Argentina won 3-0.

Messi nearly added another before the final whistle, but his final international goal would remain that penalty, a simple but unforgettable ending to more than two decades of scoring for his country.

Messi Finished His Final Argentina Match With a Goal and Two Assists

The goal was only part of Messi’s performance. Even at 39, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner remained at the center of Argentina’s attack. He directly contributed to all three goals, finishing the night with one goal and two assists.

The numbers made the farewell even more remarkable. Messi finished his Argentina career with 208 appearances and 126 goals, leaving as the national team's record appearance holder and all-time leading scorer.

Lionel Messi of Argentina plays during the match between Argentina and Benin at Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on October 6, 2026.

His final performance also highlighted how his game evolved during the later stages of his career. The explosive runs and relentless dribbling of his younger years gradually became a more measured style built around passing, positioning and creating opportunities for teammates.

Argentina’s Emotional Goodbye to Lionel Messi

This was never going to feel like an ordinary international friendly.

Hours before kickoff, a massive No. 10 Argentina shirt carrying the word “Gracias” was displayed in Messi's hometown of Rosario. Thousands of supporters also lined the route as Argentina's team bus traveled toward the stadium.

Argentina fan show a poster with the legend "Thank you, Leo, for teaching me to never give up" prior to the match between Argentina and Benin international friendly match

Inside the Monumental, the tributes continued.

The game was stopped around the 10th minute so the stadium could applaud the player who made the No. 10 shirt his own for a generation. Messi had already appeared emotional before kickoff, with his family present for his farewell.

Messi's family during the match between Argentina and Benin on 6 October 2026 in Buenos Aires (Argentina).

After the final whistle, teammates, opponents and officials surrounded him.

A drone display above the stadium became part of the post-match tribute as Argentina marked the end of one of the most important careers in the country's sporting history.

Lionel Messi of Argentina and his teammates celebrate his goal during the match between Argentina and Benin international friendly match.

Messi’s Argentina Career Ends With 126 Goals

Messi's relationship with Argentina was not always as comfortable as his farewell night suggested.

For years, his extraordinary success at Barcelona was contrasted with Argentina's repeated disappointments. Argentina lost the 2014 World Cup final and suffered painful Copa América final defeats in 2015 and 2016.

Messi briefly announced his international retirement following the 2016 Copa América final defeat before eventually returning.

What followed transformed his international legacy.

Messi helped Argentina win the 2021 Copa América, ending the country's long wait for a major senior international trophy. Argentina then won the 2022 Finalissima before Messi captained his country to the 2022 World Cup title in Qatar.

Lionel Messi took his team to victory in 2022

Another Copa América championship followed in 2024.

By the time Messi walked onto the Monumental pitch for his final appearance, the old debate about whether he could reproduce his club success for Argentina had long disappeared.

He had won the trophy that mattered most.

What’s Next for Lionel Messi?

Messi’s retirement from international football does not immediately mean retirement from the sport. He remains tied to Inter Miami CF, meaning fans can still watch Messi at club level even though his Argentina chapter has ended.

What Argentina does without him will now become one of the biggest questions surrounding the national team. Players such as Nico Paz represent the next generation, making Messi's assist for Paz's goal against Benin particularly symbolic. One No. 10 helped another young Argentine talent score on the night the country's most famous No. 10 said goodbye.

Infographic with a breakdown of goals scored by Argentine superstar Lionel Messi in the World Cup and Copa America since 2006, and his total for the national team across all competitions

Replacing Messi, however, is not really the task. Argentina will have to build something different.

Lionel Messi’s Last Argentina Goal

What was Lionel Messi’s last goal for Argentina?

Messi's final Argentina goal was a penalty against Benin on October 6, 2026, at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires. He scored in the 71st minute as Argentina won 3-0.

How many goals did Messi score for Argentina?

Messi finished his international career with 126 goals in 208 appearances, making him Argentina's all-time leading scorer.

Did Messi score in his final Argentina game?

Yes. Messi scored a penalty and provided two assists in Argentina's 3-0 victory over Benin.

Why was Argentina vs. Benin Messi’s final match?

The friendly was organized as Messi's farewell appearance after he announced his international retirement following the 2026 World Cup.

Will Lionel Messi continue playing soccer?

Yes. Messi's international career has ended, but he continues his club career with Inter Miami.