Lionel Messi has ended his international career with Argentina, describing the moment as the ‘saddest day of my career’ after his final match, according to the Guardian. The farewell came following a 3-0 victory over Benin at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires.

Messi marked the occasion with a strong individual performance, scoring once and providing two assists in the win. After the final whistle, he took to the field to address the crowd and reflect on a career that spanned 21 years with the national team.

Speaking to the fans and his teammates, Messi expressed his gratitude and acknowledged the emotional weight of the moment. ‘Not coming any more is going to be deeply painful,’ he said, as reported by the Guardian.

The retirement closes a long chapter in Argentinian football. In a separate piece, the Guardian’s Marcela Mora y Araujo wrote that Messi’s international career fulfilled the ambition of his father, Jorge Messi, who had wanted his country to fall in love with his son.

That column also explored the complexities surrounding Messi and the Argentina team. It cited Brazilian writer Milly Lacombe, who described what Argentina was doing in the World Cup as ‘of a sacred order’ while wrestling with her own support for a player she called ‘a God and a man who shakes Trump’s hand’.

Lacombe, as quoted by the Guardian, questioned why Messi had not spoken out against racist incidents seen around the Argentina team during the tournament, writing: ‘That’s why it hurts so much to see someone with Messi’s power choosing to make himself small.’

The farewell at the Monumental Stadium brought the curtain down on one of the most celebrated international careers in the sport, leaving Argentine fans to reflect on more than two decades of Messi in the national shirt.