While the referee’s peculiar presentation grabbed attention, the night was ultimately dominated by raw emotion. The 39-year-old forward had announced his international retirement in August following Argentina’s painful World Cup final defeat to Spain.
The build-up to the Benin clash was appropriately poignant. Messi was visibly moved as the team bus navigated through a passionate sea of supporters outside River Plate’s stadium. Inside, the 85,000-capacity crowd witnessed a routine victory, with earlier goals from Nicolas Otamendi and Nico Paz preceding Messi's emphatic spot-kick. Team-mates, including a tearful Enzo Fernandez, struggled to contain their emotions as the iconic captain addressed the stadium from the centre circle.
Delivering his farewell speech, Messi reflected on a glittering two-decade international career that included triumphs at the 2022 World Cup, the Copa America, and the Finalissima. "Not coming here anymore and no longer being with the Argentina national team is going to hurt a lot," he admitted to the crowd. "If it were up to me, I would love to be here for my entire life, because playing for Argentina is the most beautiful thing there is."
The veteran attacker acknowledged the recent heartbreak against Spain, noting the squad fought until the very end despite having little left in the tank. He also took time to honour his former team-mates and paid a touching tribute to his late father, Jorge, who passed away in August. "I'm going to miss playing here so much," Messi added. "I leave grateful, proud and at peace."
