Lionel Messi published a farewell message on social media after playing his last match with the Argentina national team, a 3-0 win over Benin at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires in which the captain scored a penalty to close his international career.
In his post on social media, the Rosario-born football star reflected on his long journey in the sky-blue and white jersey and reaffirmed his decision to retire from international football.
He explained that the road was made of moments of both joy and sadness, but said he is convinced he is making the right decision and that every step taken over the years had meaning.
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Lionel Messi used the letter to thank those closest to him, his teammates and the technical staff, and made a special mention of Diego Armando Maradona.
“This journey would have been impossible without my family,” the footballer wrote. Of Maradona, he said the late legend “put our country where it deserved to be” and helped them “by being here with us and also from heaven.”
Gratitude to Clubs and Fans
The forward extended his thanks to the teams where he played for allowing him to fulfill his commitments with the national squad. “Thank you to the clubs I played in, for always respecting my feelings and allowing me to dedicate to my country when it came time to put on the national team”. And, of course, thank God: without his guidance and will, we would not even dream of having reached this point,” he stated.
The statement closed with a direct message to the supporters who followed him across his career. “I am grateful. I love you all very much, I will miss you and I will always thank you for having been by our side,” Messi wrote.
The message carried no trace of bitterness, concentrating instead on the people who stood beside him for two decades. By placing his own goodbye alongside the memory of Maradona, the captain connected two generations of the country’s greatest players and framed his departure as part of a longer story rather than a solitary ending.
Benin’s Meaningful Gesture
The farewell was also marked by international recognition. Before kickoff, Benin captain Sessi D’Almeida used the coin toss at midfield to hand Messi a gift. It included three items: a rose, a letter handwritten by every member of the visiting squad, and a statuette, a show of collective admiration from the opposing team.
The sculpture carries deep historical and cultural weight. It represents the Amazons of Dahomey, also known as the Agojie, an all-female military corps that defended its territory against French colonial expansion until the early 20th century, a symbol of resilience and strength for Benin.
The Benin squad highlighted the importance of the gift in an official post explaining the symbolism of the warrior figure. In the statement, the team said the figure embodies the courage of its history and described the act as “a strong gesture of heritage, respect and tribute to a living legend of football.”
𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗦, 𝗟𝗘𝗢 𝗠𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗜 🇧🇯💛🇦🇷
Tu es un modèle pour des millions de Béninois. Merci pour toutes ces émotions et pour l’honneur d’avoir disputé ton dernier match face au Bénin.
Todos los argentinos son bienvenidos a Benín. pic.twitter.com/g2Q896uzXy
— Bénin Football 🇧🇯🐆 (@FootballBenin) October 7, 2026
Text reads: “Thank you, Leo Messi. You are a model for millions of Beninese. Thank you for all those emotions and the honor of having played your last match against Benin. All Argentines are welcome in Benin.”
The gesture came on a night already full of tributes at the Monumental Stadium, where Messi had been honored by River Plate Team and the University of Buenos Aires.
The match took place Tuesday in Buenos Aires and ended with a comfortable 3-0 win for Argentina. Messi scored from the penalty spot, a final goal that sealed the result and punctuated an international career spanning an entire era of Argentine football.
No future appearances were announced, and the message left no expectations for a return. The emotional core of the statement rested on gratitude, a tone that matched the celebration of a victory that served as the stage for his farewell to professional football.
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