{
  "id": 12515473,
  "title": "Lionel Messi's last game for Argentina: Pregame tears, a giant flying jersey and 1 final international goal",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/lionel-messis-last-game-for-argentina-pregame-tears-a-giant-flying",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-07T01:40:22.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/breaking-news/article/lionel-messis-last-game-for-argentina-pregame-tears-a-giant-flying-jersey-and-1-final-international-goal-014022181.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Lionel Messi played his final game for Argentina on Tuesday, marking an emotional farewell as the soccer legend bid adieu to his national team. The friendly match between Argentina and Benin at Buenos Aires' Estadio Monumental turned into a celebration of Messi's career, with fans gathering in large numbers to honor the superstar. Prior to the game, a giant replica of Messi's No. 10 jersey was flown over the city of Rosario, paying tribute to the Argentine icon. Upon arriving at the stadium, Messi was seen in tears by fans, visibly emotional as he boarded the team bus. Inside the stadium, the atmosphere was filled with emotion as the national anthem played, followed by fireworks and a massive replica of Messi's jersey being hoisted onto the field. Messi's contributions to Argentina's goals were numerous, with two assists and the final goal in a 3-0 win, showcasing why he is widely considered one of the greatest players of all time.",
  "summary": "Messi scored or assisted on each of Argentina's 3 goals in a fitting coda to his international career.",
  "key_points": [
    "Lionel Messi played his final game for Argentina on Tuesday.",
    "Giant replica of Messi's No. 10 jersey flown over Rosario.",
    "Messi scored Argentina's final goal in a 3-0 win."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The emotional farewell cements Messi's legendary status in Argentina, as fans and the national team alike gave him a heartfelt tribute, underscoring his enduring impact on the country's soccer identity.",
  "illustration": "https://urgent.news/ill/12515473.png",
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Emotion, tears as Messi prepares for Argentina farewell",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/emotion-tears-as-messi-prepares-for-argentina-farewell",
        "published": "2026-10-06T23:44:25.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "🎥 The moments that defined Messi's last tango",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/the-moments-that-defined-messis-last-tango",
        "published": "2026-10-07T03:18:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}