Fans of the sport have been left in awe of Messi’s career and his incredible ability to defy the odds, while Cristiano Ronaldo has joined him in his words of admiration. The Argentine forward’s international retirement marks the end of a historic era for Argentina, during which he played for the country for over 20 years.
On Tuesday, Messi made his last-ever appearance for his country, in an impressive performance as Argentina beat Benin 3-0 in a friendly at Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires. The Argentina captain registered one goal and two assists in a game in front of over 85,000 fans in the iconic blue and white.
The 21 years in the international game have brought Messi a lot of the best awards that football has to offer. He was Argentina’s captain throughout the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and also to the Copa America during 2021 and 2024. Argentina also captured the 2022 Finalissima trophy, further enhancing Messi’s international legacy.
After the game, Messi, in a long post on Instagram, said that he had thought about giving up on international duty and ultimately decided against it. The 38-year-old said that he was already missing the glory of representing Argentina, but added that it was the right decision for him to make retirement.
It was my last game yesterday and I miss wearing the blue and white a lot. I know I’m taking the right action,” Messi wrote.
Ronaldo’s tribute is especially poignant because of the rivalry between the two football legends during their careers. Their personal successes and struggles at club and international football levels have created a modern era of football which has captured fans from all over the world.
