New Delhi .Lionel Messi played his last international match in the blue-white jersey of Argentina. Argentina won 3-0 in a friendly match played against Benin at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires. In his farewell match, Messi scored one goal and played an important role in all three goals of the team. With this match, his more than 21-year long journey for the Argentine national team ended.

Messi made his debut for Argentina's senior team in 2005. Earlier, he was a part of the team that won the Under-20 World Cup and became the best player and top scorer of the tournament. He also won the gold medal with Argentina at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. However, he had to go through many difficult times in the initial years of the senior team. Questions were raised after the defeat to Germany in the 2014 World Cup final and defeats against Chile in the 2015 and 2016 Copa America finals. In 2016, he also announced his international retirement, but later returned to the team.

After his return, Messi's international career took a new turn. In 2021, Argentina won the Copa America by defeating Brazil and Messi won his first major senior international title. After this, the Finalsima was won by defeating Italy in 2022. In the same year, Argentina won the World Cup by defeating France in the final in Qatar. Messi scored two goals in the final and also played a role in the penalty shootout. He received the Golden Ball award of the tournament. In 2024, Argentina won the Copa America for the second consecutive time by defeating Colombia.

The 2026 World Cup was also full of Messi's records. When he took the field against Algeria, he became the first player in men's football to play in six different World Cups. In the same match, he scored the first hat-trick of his World Cup career. After this, by scoring two goals against Austria, he took his number of goals in the World Cup to 18 and left behind Miroslav Klose's record. By the end of the tournament his World Cup goal tally reached 21. With eight goals and four assists, he led Argentina to the final, where the team lost 0–1 to Spain in extra time.

Messi also has a record of 23 wins and 12 assists in the World Cup. He has been part of the starting eleven in three World Cup finals. In 2026, he set a record of scoring goals in nine consecutive World Cup matches and six consecutive matches in the knockout stage. In Qatar, he also became the leading goalscorer in every stage of the same World Cup, from the group stage to the final. He scored goals in five different World Cup editions, a feat he shares with Cristiano Ronaldo.

For Argentina, Messi scored 126 goals and recorded 68 assists in 208 matches. He is the player of the team who has played the most matches and scored the most goals. He won the Golden Ball twice in the World Cup, while at the individual level he has a record eight Ballon d'Or. His record in club football was also excellent. He scored 672 goals in 778 matches for Barcelona and led the club to 35 titles. He also holds the record of scoring 91 goals in a calendar year in 2012. Messi, who arrived at Inter Miami in 2023 after Paris Saint-Germain, completed 100 goals for the club in 2026.

Now Messi's international chapter for Argentina is over. With four major titles, World Cup records and 126 goals, his name has been registered among the most successful footballers of the country.