Lionel Messi brought his extraordinary chapter with the Argentine National Team to a close with a performance befitting his legendary status. On October 6th, at the Monumental stadium, the captain was directly involved in all three goals as La Albiceleste defeated Benin 3-0: he assisted Nicolás Otamendi to open the scoring, set up Nico Paz for the second goal, and converted a penalty in the 71st minute to seal the victory. The match, played before a sold-out stadium amidst numerous tributes, marked Messi's final chapter in the Argentine jersey after 21 years of international service.

The Argentine departs as the player with the most appearances and goals in the national team's history, with 208 caps and 126 goals, figures that solidify his place as La Albiceleste's ultimate offensive reference. Throughout his career, he participated in six World Cups and seven Copa América editions; in the World Cup, he accumulated 34 matches and 21 goals, while in the Copa América, he registered 39 encounters and 14 goals. His trophy cabinet with Argentina includes the 2021 Copa América, the 2022 Finalissima, the 2022 Qatar World Cup, and the 2024 Copa América; additionally, he was champion of the 2005 U-20 World Cup and won Olympic gold in Beijing 2008.

Messi's story with Argentina began on August 17, 2005, with a debut against Hungary that ended with his expulsion just seconds after entering the field, and concluded more than two decades later with a memorable night at the Monumental. Throughout that period, he transformed from a young prodigy into captain, all-time top scorer, and the player with the most appearances for the national team, in addition to leading the squad to the world title that had eluded them for years. His farewell leaves not only record-breaking numbers but also an era defined by titles, defeats, finals, and a definitive transformation of the relationship between Messi and Argentine football.