Most goals in international football: Messi ends Argentina career as second highest scorer

Lionel Messi wept as he sang Argentina's national anthem for the last time in an international match at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires. Just before the farewell friendly against Benin on October 6, the Argentina captain found himself overcome with emotion, his tears threatening to spill as the anthem reverberated through the packed stadium. It was a deeply emotional moment as Messi prepared to end his more than two-decade career with his national team.

Accompanied by his children, Messi listened as the anthem was performed by Fabio Santana, a veteran of the Falkland Islands conflict. The emotional scene unfolded across the stadium, with Argentina fans joining the captain in a deeply symbolic farewell. The match against Benin marked the conclusion of Messi's illustrious international career, which spanned more than two decades. At 39, the football legend had retired from international play following Argentina's loss to Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.

Messi's decision to retire came after a stellar career that included a Copa America triumph in 2021, another in 2024, a Finalissima victory in 2022, and the World Cup in Qatar later that year. As he stood alongside his teammates, his eyes glistening with tears, the significance of the occasion was impossible to ignore. For generations of Argentinian supporters, it represented the closing of one of football's most illustrious chapters: the final international bow to the player who had delivered the World Cup and countless unforgettable memories to his country.