Messi says Argentina retirement is 'saddest day of my career'

Lionel Messi declared Tuesday to be the "saddest day of his career" following Argentina's 3-0 loss to Benin, marking his final international game for his country. The 39-year-old, who scored a goal and provided two assists in the victory at the Monumental Stadium, expressed his gratitude to fans and teammates for his 21-year career with Argentina.

"It was a huge source of pride for me to defend this jersey for more than 20 years," Messi stated to the 80,000-plus spectators. "Even in the worst moments we went through and that I had, I never stopped fighting, never stopped being here." Messi lamented that his absence would be deeply painful and admitted to wanting to play for the rest of his life.

Argentina's coach, Lionel Scaloni, praised Messi as a unique talent and expressed his eternal gratitude. Scaloni, who wept during the national anthem, described coaching a team with Messi as his "wildest dream." The emotional coach vowed never to forget the immense talent at his disposal. Messi emphasized that his decision to retire was not hasty, citing the demanding nature of Argentina's World Cup campaign, which included a 2-1 semi-final defeat to England and his father's death in August. Despite the emotional toll, Messi felt it was time to say goodbye to the national team.