Messi will play his final match for Argentina against Benin after 207 appearances and 125 goals

Lionel Messi will end his national-team career, which began in 2005, with a farewell match against Benin in Buenos Aires. Messi will leave as Argentina’s most-capped player and all-time leading scorer.

Scraper SystemOctober 07, 2026, 10:36 AM

Messi will play his final match for Argentina against Benin after 207 appearances and 125 goals

Argentina captain Lionel Messi will play the final match of his national-team career against Benin at Buenos Aires’ Monumental Stadium. The Argentine Football Association has prepared a special ceremony for the star, who has worn the national team shirt for more than 21 years.

Messi announced on August 31 that he would leave the national team after the 2026 World Cup. Since 2005, he has made 207 appearances for Argentina, scoring 125 goals and providing 68 assists. He holds his country’s records for appearances and goals.

Six World Cups, 21 goals

Messi played in six World Cups from 2006 to 2026. With 34 World Cup appearances, he became the player with the most matches in the tournament’s history and took his World Cup tally to 21 goals. Argentina’s captain, who lost the 2014 final to Germany, scored twice in the 2022 final against France in Qatar, which Argentina won on penalties, and claimed the Golden Ball.

From lost finals to four trophies

After losing the 2015 and 2016 Copa América finals to Chile on penalties, Messi temporarily retired from international football. Upon his return, he led Argentina to the 2021 Copa América, 2022 Finalissima, 2022 World Cup and 2024 Copa América titles. At the start of his career, he won the 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup as the tournament’s best player and top scorer, and also won a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.