Lionel Messi has described his retirement from international football as the “saddest day of my career” after making his final appearance for Argentina.
The 39-year-old brought his 21-year international career to an emotional end on Tuesday, scoring a goal and providing two assists as Argentina defeated Benin 3-0 at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires.
After the match, Messi took to the pitch to thank the fans and his teammates while reflecting on his long career with the national team.
“It was a huge source of pride for me to defend this jersey for more than 20 years,” Messi said.
“Even in the worst moments we went through and that I had, I never stopped fighting, never stopped being here.”
The Argentina captain admitted that saying goodbye to the national team would be difficult, adding that he wished he could continue representing his country for the rest of his life.
“Not coming anymore is going to be deeply painful. I swear I’d like to play for the rest of my life, because playing for the Argentina national team is the most beautiful thing that can happen to you,” he said.
Reflecting on his return to the Monumental, Messi described the occasion as bittersweet, particularly because the stadium hosted Argentina’s first match after their 2022 World Cup triumph.
“Now I’m here on the saddest day of my career, which is the day I have to say goodbye to the national team, goodbye to all of you,” he said.
Messi, however, said he had no regrets about his decision to retire from international football, explaining that the demands of Argentina’s World Cup campaign had taken a physical and emotional toll.
“Even though I want to be here all my life, I feel that this is the moment. The last World Cup was too much, everything I had to live through,” Messi said.
He added that Argentina had given everything in their pursuit of another World Cup title but ultimately fell short.
“We had the dream of fulfilling my dream and the dream of the whole country, of becoming world champions again,” Messi said.
“In the last World Cup we were very close. We fought like we always did with this jersey, with all the teammates I got to be with and share things with.”
Messi said he would now support the Argentina team from the sidelines, urging the players to remain united.
“But now I’ll be on that side, with the fans, supporting all the boys, everyone who comes in. Always united,” he said.
The farewell brought the curtain down on one of the most decorated international careers in football history, with Messi finishing as Argentina’s record appearance holder and leading scorer. He ended his international career with 208 appearances and 126 goals.
