Lionel Messi Sends Warning to Argentina Players, Fans After Final Game for National Team
- Lionel Messi played his last game for Argentina on Tuesday, scoring and assisting twice in a 3-0 win over Benin in Buenos Aires
- The 39-year-old ended his 21-year international career as Argentina's record appearance maker and all-time top scorer
- Messi issued a message to Argentina players and supporters about what lies ahead after his retirement from the national team
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Lionel Messi has delivered a stark message to Argentina's players and supporters as the country prepares for life without its greatest footballer, following his retirement from international duty.
The 39-year-old brought down the curtain on his Argentina career on Tuesday night at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires, helping the world champions beat Benin 3-0 in what proved to be an unforgettable farewell.
Source: Getty Images
According to Sky Sports, Messi signed off in style, assisting Nicolas Otamendi for the opening goal before setting up Nico Paz to make it two.
He then converted a penalty to complete the scoring, taking his final international tally to 126 goals.
It was a fitting conclusion to a 21-year journey that produced some of the most memorable moments in Argentine football history.
Messi sends strong warning to Argentina
Despite the celebratory atmosphere surrounding his farewell, Messi did not shy away from addressing what could come next.
Speaking after the match, he urged players and fans to remain united when results and performances fall short of the extraordinary standards set during his era.
"Tough times are coming, because what was done all this time isn't normal," Messi was quoted by TyC Sports on X.
"In those moments, we have to be there, supporting more than ever. We need to form strong groups, because there are people who want to see the national team do badly, and we can't give them the satisfaction."
The comments reflect a clear-eyed acknowledgement that Argentina's recent dominance has been exceptional, not routine.
Messi also described representing Argentina as "the most wonderful thing that can happen to you," as he reflected on more than two decades in the blue and white shirt.
The records Messi leaves behind
Messi finishes as Argentina's most-capped player with 208 senior appearances, a record that surpasses every other player in the team's history. His 126 international goals are equally unmatched.
During his time with the national team, he guided Argentina to three major tournament victories: the 2021 Copa América, the 2024 Copa América, and the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, which represented the crowning achievement of his career after years of near-misses on the international stage.
Veteran centre-back Otamendi, who is 38 himself, shared the emotion of the occasion and is also approaching the end of his own Argentina career, making Tuesday's match a generational farewell for the country's football faithful.
With Messi gone, Argentina must now build towards the future under coach Lionel Scaloni, who oversaw all three of those title-winning campaigns.
Messi will continue playing club football with Inter Miami, where he is contracted until 2028, but his commitment to the national team has formally ended.
Why Messi was given yellow and red cards
Legit.ng previously reported about Messi’s final appearance for Argentina, where he scored a goal and set up two others in a 3-0 win over Benin.
The referee then handed Messi the yellow and red cards from the match as keepsakes, a striking reminder of his Argentina debut in 2005, when he was sent off shortly after coming on.
Source: Legit.ng
