Barcelona have sent an emotional message to Lionel Messi after the club legend brought his Argentina career to an end with a memorable farewell against Benin.
Messi played his final game for Argentina on Tuesday night as they beat Benin 3-0 at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires.
The 39-year-old scored from the penalty spot and provided two assists, finishing his international career with 208 appearances and 126 goals for his country.
Barcelona were quick to pay tribute to their former captain after the final whistle, celebrating the remarkable journey that saw Messi become one of the most important figures in both club and international football.
Barcelona Pay Tribute to Lionel Messi After His Argentina Farewell
Barcelona highlighted the full journey of Messi's Argentina career, from his Olympic gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Games to the major trophies and historic moments that followed.
“From that gold medal in Beijing in 2008 to an unforgettable career, making history every step of the way with La Albiceleste. Congratulations, Leo, for continuing to make Argentina’s jersey even more iconic!”
The message reflected the significance of Messi's international career, particularly after years of near misses were followed by a run of major honours with Argentina.
Messi eventually led his country to the 2021 Copa America, the 2022 Finalissima and the 2022 FIFA World Cup, before adding another Copa America title in 2024.
His final chapter with Argentina came after more than two decades in the national team, with Messi leaving as the country's record appearance holder and leading goalscorer.
Lionel Messi Signs Off From Argentina With Goal and Two Assists
Messi produced a fitting final performance in front of more than 85,000 supporters at the Monumental.
After a goalless first half, Argentina opened the scoring through Nicolas Otamendi shortly after the break, with Messi providing the assist from a corner.
He then created Argentina's second goal for Nico Paz before completing the scoring himself from the penalty spot in the 71st minute.
The 3-0 victory gave Messi the kind of farewell he had hoped for, with the Argentina captain directly involved in all three goals.
The match was also filled with tributes to Messi. The game was paused in the 10th minute for a standing ovation, while the packed Monumental celebrated the player who had worn Argentina's famous No. 10 shirt for more than 20 years.
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Messi Reflects on an Emotional End to His Argentina Career
Messi struggled to hide his emotions as he addressed the supporters after the final whistle.
“Honestly, it’s hard to say anything today. There are so many emotions. The first thing I think of is my dad. All I can do is express my gratitude,” Messi said.
The Argentina captain reflected on the honour of representing his country for more than two decades and admitted that walking away from the national team would be painful.
“As I said in the letter, it was a great honor to wear this jersey for over 20 years. Even in the toughest times, I never stopped fighting, never stopped giving my all.”
Messi also admitted that he would have loved to continue representing Argentina, but felt the time had come to close the chapter.
“I’d like to come back for the rest of my life. Playing for Argentina is the best thing that can happen to you. Like I said, while I want to be here forever, I feel like now is the time.”
For Barcelona, the farewell marked another emotional moment in the story of a player who spent the majority of his club career at Camp Nou.
For Argentina, it was the end of a 21-year international journey that delivered some of the biggest moments in the country's football history.
And for Messi, his final night in the blue and white ended in the same way so many of his greatest Argentina nights did: with a goal, a victory and a stadium celebrating Lionel Messi.
