Messi calls the end of his Argentina career football’s “saddest day”

Lionel Messi described the end of his Argentina career as the “saddest day” of his football life. After a 3-0 win over Benin at the Monumental in Buenos Aires, he addressed the crowd to thank the supporters and his teammates. He also scored and provided two assists in the match, his final appearance for the national team.

“Not coming back any more is going to be deeply painful,” he said. Messi recalled the pride he had felt in wearing the shirt for more than 20 years. Even through difficult periods, he said, he had never stopped fighting or being there.

The return to the Monumental carried a particular resonance. Messi said the occasion was bittersweet because it was where Argentina played its first match after winning the 2022 World Cup. He also said he had no regrets about the timing of his international departure, despite the sadness he felt.

To explain his decision, he pointed to the demands of Argentina’s campaign at this year’s World Cup, where the team reached the final before losing to Spain. Messi said the tournament’s emotional rollercoaster had taken its toll. During that competition, Argentina had beaten England 2-1 in the semi-final, a match Messi said had been hugely demanding both physically and emotionally.

His comments give the farewell a significance beyond the result of his final match: Messi presented his decision as the close of a journey defined by a deep attachment to the national team, but also by the strain of a particularly demanding campaign.