Buenos Aires turned into a stage for collective gratitude on Tuesday as Argentina prepared to send off Lionel Messi in his 208th and final appearance for the national team, a friendly against Benin at the Monumental stadium. Tributes arrived from every corner of the football world, from former teammates to fans who queued for hours simply to be present for the occasion.
Brazil's Neymar, who shared a dressing room with Messi at both Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, led the outpouring on social media. "It's not only Argentina that thanks you, the world thanks you for everything you have done for football," Neymar wrote on Instagram, adding that facing Messi and later playing alongside him had been an honour. For many following the build-up from abroad, including fans catching updates through platforms like playnix game, the sentiment echoed a broader truth: Messi's career has transcended club and country rivalries to become a shared reference point across the sport.
Rodrigo De Paul, Messi's close friend and current teammate at Inter Miami, spoke in more personal terms. "He made me grow not only as a footballer, but also as a person. I became a better person, a better human being, a better athlete, a better father and a better friend," De Paul said in a farewell message released on Tuesday, adding that he considers Messi a brother. Angel Di Maria, another long-time ally from Argentina's golden generation, described it as a day nobody had wanted to see arrive, while praising the calm and happiness Messi showed heading into the match.
Fans Gather Outside the Monumental
Outside the stadium, the mood mixed celebration with visible emotion. Jose Garracedo, a 19-year-old supporter, told Reuters TV he cried both from joy at witnessing Messi's last game and sadness at knowing he would not see him wear the shirt again. Isaias Zenas, a 27-year-old medical student, pointed to the wider social weight Messi carries in Argentina, noting that amid economic hardship, the titles he delivered have given people something to hold onto. "How could we not come here at this moment to say goodbye to him?" he said.
A Career Measured in Numbers and Meaning
Messi arrives at this farewell having won the World Cup and two Copa America titles with Argentina, numbers that alone secure his place among the game's greatest. He enters the Benin match with a national record of 125 goals and 68 assists, a body of work built over nearly two decades of international football. Before kickoff, Messi offered his own brief reflection on the moment: "I leave in peace. I gave everything." For a country that has followed his journey from a teenage prodigy to a World Cup-winning captain, those words carried as much weight as any statistic.
