Soccer legend Lionel Messi’s final match with Argentina draws electrifying crowds in Buenos Aires

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Julian Leshay Guadalupe/NorthJersey.com

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Buenos Aires has seen plenty of big nights at Estadio Monumental, but few have carried the weight of Tuesday. Lionel Messi played his final match for the Argentina national team in a friendly against Benin, and the city turned out to make sure he heard every bit of its gratitude.

The stadium was filled to capacity hours before the 8 p.m. local kickoff. Video of the scene before the match showed packed stands roaring under a cloudy evening sky, with chants rolling around the Monumental long before a ball was kicked.

The emotion started even earlier. Cameras caught Messi stepping off the team bus at the stadium for the last time as an Argentina player, a moment broadcast live across the country. He was visibly emotional on the way in, and the tears came again during the national anthem, which he sang alongside his children.

Away from the stadium, the celebration spread across the capital. A massive fan fest took place at Ciudad Universitaria, and monuments around Buenos Aires were lit up in the national colors of sky blue and white.

The Argentine Football Association organized the match after Messi announced his international retirement on August 31. AFA president Claudio Tapia framed it as a chance for supporters to celebrate their captain in front of a home crowd, giving him a proper farewell rather than a quiet exit.

Messi wore a specially designed jersey with golden trim for the occasion.

Lionel Scaloni sent out a lineup packed with members of the 2022 World Cup-winning squad, including Emiliano Martínez, Cristian Romero, Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martinez. Messi wore the captain’s armband one final time. Before the match, River Plate president Stefano Di Carlo also presented him with a club jersey.

The night delivered on the pitch, too. Messi set up goals for Nicolas Otamendi and Nico Paz, then stepped up to convert a 68th-minute penalty after Agustin Giay was fouled in the box. The finish sealed a 3-0 win and gave him his 126th goal for Argentina, extending his own national team record.

Messi closes his international career with 208 appearances. Over more than two decades, he played in six World Cups and led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title, two Copa América crowns and the 2022 Finalissima.

For a fan base that waited years to see him lift a major trophy, Tuesday was simply about saying thank you.

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