Lionel Messi ends his Argentina career on Tuesday against Benin at the Estadio Monumental, but the story that brought him there began in a way no script would have dared to write. In August 2005, the teenager made his senior debut against Hungary, came on as a substitute, and saw red barely a minute later after a clash with a defender, a bruising start for a player who would go on to break every record the national team owns.
He soon announced himself on the global stage. Messi led Argentina to the 2005 Under-20 World Cup in the Netherlands, winning both the Golden Ball and the Golden Boot, and three years later he helped the Olympic team capture gold in Beijing, collecting his first major honour in the sky-blue and white shirt. The senior trophies, however, refused to follow, and the wait grew heavier with each tournament.
The heartbreak piled up. Messi captained Argentina to the 2014 World Cup final in Brazil, earned the Golden Ball for his performances, and then watched Germany snatch the trophy in extra time. He lost the 2015 and 2016 Copa America finals to Chile on penalties, and after the second defeat he stunned the football world by announcing his retirement, only to reverse course within weeks.
In 2017 he dragged Argentina to the 2018 World Cup with a hat-trick against Ecuador in a must-win qualifier, a night that showed how much the nation depended on him.
The curse finally broke in 2021, when Messi inspired Argentina to Copa America glory by beating Brazil at the Maracana, giving him his first major senior trophy.
He followed it with the Finalissima win over Italy at Wembley, and then reached the summit in Qatar, where he overcame a shock opening loss to Saudi Arabia, scored in the final against France, and lifted the World Cup after a penalty shootout, claiming the Golden Ball once more. That victory gave Argentina its third star and silenced the greatest debate in the sport for many of his admirers.
Messi kept winning afterwards, adding a second Copa America crown in 2024, though the farewell year brought a painful twist. Argentina lost an ill-tempered World Cup final to Spain in New Jersey.
In August he announced his international retirement with characteristic humility. “I gave it my all; I have nothing left to give, and besides, there are great young players coming up who deserve their chance,” Messi wrote.
His final numbers speak for themselves: 125 goals in 207 games and a record 68 assists(195 goal contribution), all of which make him Argentina’s leading scorer and most-capped player. Some 85,000 spectators will salute him on Tuesday, joined by members of the 2022 squad, including Angel Di Maria, and by newcomers such as Franco Mastantuono and Leonel Flores, who were not born when Messi made his debut.
Coach Lionel Scaloni expects a night to remember. “It’s going to be an unforgettable day for everyone. Everyone wants to be at this match, and now it’s just about enjoying it,” he said.
Vice-captain Nicolas Otamendi will also depart, while Rodrigo De Paul and Giovani Lo Celso may follow, and Cristian Romero will inherit the armband that Messi first wore in 2010. Scaloni admits the gap will be hard to close. “Collectively, we will try to fill the void left by Leo,” he said.
