Lionel Messi farewell match: Argentina's 3-0 win over Benin explained

What happened in Messi's final Argentina game

Lionel Messi played his last match for the Argentina national football team on 6 October 2026, a friendly against Benin at the Mas Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires. According to Dawn, the 39-year-old scored once and created two more goals as Argentina won 3-0 in front of more than 85,000 supporters. Because it was a friendly rather than a tournament fixture, the result carried no points or trophy — its significance was entirely emotional, closing a 21-year international career that included the 2022 World Cup, the 2021 and 2024 Copa América titles and the 2022 Finalissima.

Messi's farewell message

A day after the match, Messi confirmed his international retirement in a lengthy Instagram post. He wrote that the Benin game was his last and that he already missed wearing the blue and white shirt, while insisting he was making the right decision. He thanked the clubs he played for, paid tribute to Diego Maradona, and told supporters he would miss them. The tone was reflective rather than dramatic — a player stepping away on his own terms after completing the set of major honours.

Ronaldo's tribute and the head-to-head record

Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi's great rival for two decades, responded publicly to the farewell post with a message of respect, telling Messi he had made history that would last forever and sending him a hug. The exchange drew attention to their remarkable rivalry. Goal.com, citing statistics from Spanish newspaper Marca, reports the pair met 37 times — 36 official matches plus one friendly. In the official games Messi scored 22 goals to Ronaldo's 21, with Messi's side winning 16, Ronaldo's 11, and nine draws. Most of those meetings came in Spain: 18 in La Liga, six in the Champions League, five each in the Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup, plus two international friendlies.

Why it trended in India

Google Trends data for India recorded roughly 50,000 searches for "lionel messi" around 7 October 2026, with related queries such as "argentina vs benin live streaming" and "messi last match for argentina" also spiking. This confirms strong search interest among Indian fans, though trend volumes measure search activity, not the accuracy of any claim. Readers looking for where to watch highlights should note that official Indian broadcasters for the friendly were not confirmed in the available sources, so checking official streaming platforms remains the safest option.