Lionel Messi’s extraterrestrial international came to an end in a fittingly ceremonious fashion: with a goal and two assists for Argentina in a 3-0 victory over Benin in Buenos Aires on Tuesday.
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Messi played all 90 minutes and scored for the 126th time in his 298th and final appearance for his country.
The greatest player of all time announced his international retirement in late August, a little over a month after he drove Argentina to the World Cup final.
PENALTY TO ARGENTINA! Messi signs off with one final goal, his 126th
🚨 IT DOESN’T GET BETTER THAN THIS 🤩
— Football on Predict (@FConPredict) October 7, 2026
The perfect angle of Lionel Messi goal for Argentina against Benin 🐐🔥 pic.twitter.com/4UouCrHh2M
Two assists and a goal. If you didn’t think he would, you haven’t been paying attention for the last 20 years. The greatest to ever do it, one last time.
ANOTHER ASSIST! Messi sets up Nico Paz shortly before his final farewell (61')
🚨🌎 | GOAL: WHAT A SPECTACULAR GOLAZO BY NICO PAZ! SENSATIONAL! WOW!
— TheGoalsZone (@TheGoalsZone) October 7, 2026
ANOTHER ASSIST BY LIONEL MESSI!
🇦🇷 Argentina 2-0 Benin 🇧🇯 pic.twitter.com/FqQdYc2Ygb
GOAL! Messi assists Nicolas Otamendi in both their final game (48')
⚽️⚽️⚽️ OTAMENDI GOAAAAALLLL, MESSI ASSIST!!!!!!!!!!! OF COURSE OF COURSE, THIS DUO!!!!!!!!! MESSI ASSIST IN HIS LAST DANCE, GOAAAALLL!!!!!!! 🇦🇷🇦🇷
— GoalAlert HQ ⚽️ 🥅 (@GoalAlertHQ) October 7, 2026
1:0 ARGENTINA 🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/nFElHmB2ym
Lionel Messi captains Argentina in his 208th and final appearance
The last dance 🥹🩵 pic.twitter.com/6ZCnhYeZ3I
— Selección Argentina in English (@AFASeleccionEN) October 6, 2026
Lionel Messi gets emotional during stirring rendition of Argentina’s national anthem
NO PUEDO MÁS 😭🥺 pic.twitter.com/SCwp9ny0cA
— TyC Sports (@TyCSports) October 6, 2026
Messi remains on pace for his third-straight MLS MVP Award and Inter Miami are hoping to win MLS Cup, but for now the focus has shifted to Buenos Aires.
At home again 🥹 pic.twitter.com/E7RYrmiM4J
— Selección Argentina in English (@AFASeleccionEN) October 5, 2026
Benin leave Africa for South America after drawing Burkina Faso and beating Mauritania in Africa Cup of Nations qualification.
Coached by former Nigeria boss Gernot Rohr and captained by ex-Huddersfield Town striker Steve Mounie, Benin are ranked No. 89 by FIFA — a way’s off from Argentina’s No. 2 spot.
When is ‘The Last Tango’ — Lionel Messi’s final Argentina appearance?
Messi will put on the colors of La Albiceleste for the final time on Tuesday October 6 at the Estadio Mas Monumental, the home of River Plate in Buenos Aires.
Kickoff is set for 7pm ET.
He’s here 🥹🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/Xu3OXm5Dn1
— Selección Argentina in English (@AFASeleccionEN) October 4, 2026
How many national teams has Messi scored against?
Benin is not on the list, so Messi will have a chance to add to his list of international conquests.
Right now, Messi has scored against 44 teams.
- Bolivia (11 goals)
- Ecuador (7)
- Venezuela (7)
- Uruguay (6)
- Algeria (5)
- Brazil (5)
- Chile (5)
- Estonia (5)
- Guatemala (5)
- Paraguay (5)
- Mexico (4)
- Panama (4)
- Colombia (3)
- Croatia (3)
- Curacao (3)
- France (3)
- Haiti (3)
- Nigeria (3)
- Peru (3)
- Switzerland (3)
- Australia (2)
- Austria (2)
- Honduras (2)
- Hong Kong (2)
- Jamaica (2)
- Spain (2)
- Albania (1)
- Angola (1)
- Bosnia and Herzegovina (1)
- Canada (1)
- Cape Verde (1)
- Egypt (1)
- Germany (1)
- Iceland (1)
- Iran (1)
- Jordan (1)
- Netherlands (1)
- Portugal (1)
- Saudi Arabia (1)
- Serbia and Montenegro (1)
- Slovenia (1)
- UAE (1)
- United States (1)
- Zambia (1)
How to watch Argentina vs Benin live stream, TV, start time
Kick off time: 7pm ET October 6
Venue: Estadio Mas Monumental — Buenos Aires, Argentina
TV Channel/stream link: ViX / Prime Video
Argentina reacts to Lionel Messi’s final international match
The long and winding relationship between Messi and his home country is ending on a high note.
Once lamented as a spectacular player who had not collected trophies outside of Argentina’s U20 and U23 teams, that’s all changed this decade.
Argentina won Copa America in 2021 and 2024, sandwiching the honors around the 2022 World Cup.
Messi also helped the team to two other World Cup finals, narrow losses to Germany (2014) and Spain (2026).
Tributes will be pouring in from around the world, but how Argentina reacts to his final outing will be truly unique.
La Selección Argentina vuelve al Monumental para reencontrarse con uno de los escenarios más importantes de su historia.
— 🇦🇷 Selección Argentina ⭐⭐⭐ (@Argentina) October 3, 2026
🏟️ https://t.co/Dm4mpNjZn5 pic.twitter.com/nxjRQ1inNw
