Lionel Messi ended his Argentina career with a goal and two assists as the world champions beat Benin 3-0 at Buenos Aires' Monumental Stadium on October 6, 2026. Nicolás Otamendi and Nico Paz scored before Messi converted a 71st-minute penalty in his 208th and final senior international.
The match closed a 21-year Argentina career in which Messi scored a national-record 126 goals and captained his country to the 2022 World Cup, two Copa América titles and the 2022 Finalissima. He has retired from international football, not from club football, and remains an Inter Miami player.
Argentina vs Benin result at a glance
The Argentine Football Association's match report confirms the 3-0 result and the three scorers. Inter Miami's official account of the match records Otamendi's goal in the 48th minute, Paz's in the 61st and Messi's penalty in the 71st.
How Messi shaped his final Argentina match
The first half ended goalless before Messi created the breakthrough from a corner, which Otamendi converted. He then supplied Paz for Argentina's second and finished the scoring from the penalty spot.
The occasion had been arranged as a national farewell after Messi announced his international retirement. The AFA called it his last match for the national team before the Argentine public, while reporting after the game and his club described it as his final international appearance. FIFA's farewell preview had also identified the Benin friendly as his last Argentina game.
For supporters looking back to the decision itself, MatchUpWorld's earlier report on Messi's Argentina retirement explains when he announced it and why the Benin fixture became the formal goodbye. The result is a separate development: it records what actually happened in the farewell match.
Messi's final Argentina career numbers
Inter Miami lists Messi's closing senior record at 208 appearances, 126 goals and 70 assists. The appearance and goal totals are the clearest official career markers; assist totals can vary among statistics providers because older competitions were not always recorded under one consistent definition.
His major senior international titles were the 2021 and 2024 Copa América, the 2022 Finalissima and the 2022 World Cup. He also reached the 2026 World Cup final, where Argentina lost to Spain. Our 2026 World Cup final recap covers that result, while the tactical analysis of Messi's scoreless final explains how Spain limited him.
The arc of Messi's Argentina career was not a straight line. He briefly quit the national team after the 2016 Copa América final defeat, then returned. Winning the 2021 Copa América ended Argentina's long senior-trophy drought, and lifting the World Cup in Qatar a year later transformed the final chapter of his international story.
What happens next for Messi and Argentina
Messi will continue playing for Inter Miami. His international retirement does not cancel his club contract or remove him from Major League Soccer competition.
Argentina now has to build a team without the player who shaped its attack for two decades. Paz's goal in the farewell match carried symbolic weight, but one performance does not settle who will take over Messi's creative role. Coach Lionel Scaloni can redistribute that responsibility across several players rather than search for a direct replacement.
The next meaningful evidence will come from Argentina's competitive squad selections and matches. Until then, claims about a new permanent captain, number 10 or tactical system should be treated as speculation unless the AFA or Scaloni confirms them.
Frequently asked questions
Did Messi score in his final Argentina match?
Yes. Messi scored a penalty in the 71st minute and assisted Argentina's first two goals in the 3-0 win over Benin.
Has Lionel Messi retired from football completely?
No. He has retired from international football with Argentina but continues to play club football for Inter Miami.
How many goals did Messi score for Argentina?
Messi finished with 126 senior international goals in 208 appearances, according to Inter Miami's official match report.
Sources: Argentine Football Association, Inter Miami CF, FIFA, Associated Press.
