Emotion, tears as Messi retires from Argentina national team

Buenos Aires witnessed an emotional farewell for Lionel Messi as he bid adieu to his 21-year international career in Argentina. The 39-year-old, considered the greatest football player globally, concluded his illustrious career with a 126th goal in front of 85,000 roaring fans. Messi scored the opening goal on his record-extending 208th appearance and provided the assist for the second, while Nico Paz added the third.

The event, dubbed The Last Tango, turned out to be a bittersweet moment for Messi. Earlier, he shed tears as his bus, laden with his family, traversed the crowds lining the route to the Monumental Stadium. Resplendent in his No.10 shirt, Messi received a warm welcome from his wife Antonela Roccuzzo and mother Celia Cuccittini. A giant Argentina jersey emblazoned with "Gracias" (Thank You) was unfurled on the pitch before kickoff, amidst the crowd's thunderous cheers.

The match was interrupted for a minute-long tribute to Messi's famed shirt number, accompanied by a rendition of the national anthem by Falklands War veteran Fabio Santana, who held a banner proclaiming "The Malvinas are Argentine." The match concluded with Messi scoring a penalty in the 71st minute, and the final whistle saw a drone show projecting his image and thanking the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner for his illustrious career.

An honorary doctorate conferred by the University of Buenos Aires earlier, the news of Messi's retirement reached him at the Argentine Football Association headquarters, where he expressed pride and humor at receiving the distinction. Former Barcelona teammate Neymar praised Messi, urging the world to thank him for his contributions to football.

While Messi remains under contract with Inter Miami until 2028, his retirement comes four years after Argentina's World Cup triumph in 2022, marking his legacy as Diego Maradona's heir.