Lionel Messi's Argentina Career Ends: The Numbers, Trophies and His Legacy
The GOAT calls time
7 Oct 2026·4 min read·by Taj Soupidis
Photo: Getty Images
Lionel Messi's extraordinary international career with Argentina has officially come to an end.
The 39-year-old played his final game for his country in a 3-0 victory over Benin, signing off in the most fitting way possible, with a goal and two assists in front of a packed home crowd.
After more than two decades representing Argentina, Messi leaves the national team as its greatest goalscorer, most-capped player and the captain who finally delivered the trophies that had eluded the country for so long.
Messi signs off with a goal and two assists
Messi started Argentina's farewell match against Benin at the Monumental in Buenos Aires, with the occasion largely centred around celebrating the legendary forward's international career.
Argentina produced a comfortable 3-0 victory, with Messi directly involved in all three goals.
He scored once and created two more for his teammates, giving supporters one final reminder of the quality that has defined his career.
It was an emotional night for Argentine football, with the Monumental packed to celebrate a player who has spent more than 20 years wearing the famous blue and white shirt.
Messi's final appearance came after his international career had already reached its natural conclusion at the 2026 World Cup.
Messi's Argentina career by the numbers
Messi finishes his Argentina career with some extraordinary statistics.
* 207 appearances
* 125 goals
* 66 assists
* Six World Cup appearances
* Two Copa América titles
* One World Cup
* One Finalissima
* One Olympic gold medal
* One FIFA U-20 World Cup
He leaves as Argentina's all-time leading goalscorer and most-capped player.
His 125 international goals also put him among the most prolific goalscorers in international football history.
But Messi's legacy with Argentina cannot be measured by statistics alone. For much of his career, the biggest criticism surrounding him was that he had not won a major trophy with his country.
Eventually, he won almost everything possible.
The trophies that changed Messi's Argentina legacy
Messi's first major senior international trophy finally arrived at the 2021 Copa América.
Argentina defeated Brazil 1-0 in the final at the Maracanã, with Ángel Di María scoring the decisive goal. For Messi, the victory represented an enormous moment of relief.
He had previously lost the 2014 World Cup final and three Copa América finals, while criticism of his performances for Argentina had followed him throughout his career.
Finally, the wait was over. Messi had won his first major senior trophy with Argentina.
Argentina followed their Copa América success by defeating European champions Italy 3-0 at Wembley in the 2022 Finalissima.
Messi did not score but produced an outstanding performance and provided two assists.
It was another indication that Argentina had become one of international football's dominant teams.
Then came the trophy Messi and Argentina wanted more than any other. At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Messi produced one of the greatest individual tournament performances of his career.
He scored seven goals, including twice in the final against France, and won the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player.
The final itself became one of the most dramatic matches in World Cup history. Argentina led 2-0 before France fought back to level the game.
Messi scored again in extra time to put Argentina ahead, only for Kylian Mbappé to complete his hat-trick and force a penalty shootout.
Argentina eventually prevailed, with Messi finally lifting the World Cup. After years of disappointment, he had achieved the one trophy that had been missing from his collection.
Argentina then successfully defended their Copa América title in 2024. They defeated Colombia 1-0 after extra time, with Lautaro Martínez scoring the winning goal.
Messi was forced off injured during the final, but Argentina eventually lifted the trophy.
It meant Messi had now won four major senior international trophies with Argentina.
From international disappointment to Argentina legend
Messi's journey with Argentina was far from straightforward.
Early in his international career, he was frequently compared with Diego Maradona and criticised for failing to reproduce his Barcelona form with the national team.
The pressure reached its peak after Argentina's defeat to Chile in the 2016 Copa América final.
Messi missed his penalty in the shootout and subsequently announced his retirement from international football.
But he returned. That decision ultimately changed the course of Argentine football history.
Under Lionel Scaloni, Messi and Argentina went on an extraordinary run.
They won the Copa América in 2021, the Finalissima in 2022, the World Cup later that year and another Copa América in 2024.
The player who had once been criticised for not winning anything with Argentina had become the captain who delivered one of the most successful periods in the country's history.
Messi also played at the 2026 World Cup, making him the first player to appear at six editions of the tournament.
Argentina once again went deep into the competition, with Messi continuing to contribute at the highest level.
His final World Cup ultimately ended in disappointment, with Argentina losing the final 1-0 to Spain.
However, it was another remarkable chapter in a career that had already surpassed almost every conceivable milestone.
A perfect farewell
Messi's final Argentina appearance against Benin provided the celebration that his international career deserved.
A goal. Two assists. A 3-0 victory, and one final night in front of the Argentine supporters who had watched his entire journey unfold.
For years, Messi was asked whether he could win with Argentina. Eventually, he answered that question on the pitch.
He leaves Argentina as the country's record goalscorer, record appearance maker, World Cup winner, two-time Copa América champion and captain of one of the most successful teams in Argentine history.
The debate over Messi's place in football history will continue for years. But there is no debate about what he achieved for Argentina.
After 207 appearances, 125 goals and four major senior trophies, Lionel Messi's Argentina career is finally over, and he couldn't have written a better final chapter.
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