Messi’s Farewell!
Buenos Aires, Oct 6 (EFE).-
Hours before saying goodbye to the team, Lionel Messi said on Tuesday that he is leaving “at peace” after having given it his all for the Argentine jersey, which he will wear for the last time in the friendly match against Benin, starting at 8:00 pm local time at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires.
“The moment has arrived. I leave in peace; I gave it my all. This jersey was my dream, my pride, and my life. Thank you for loving me so much. I will always carry you with me,” said the Argentine captain in a video posted on Adidas’s official social media accounts.
The video highlights various moments from Messi’s career with the national team and features “Gracias a la Vida” by Argentine singer Mercedes Sosa as background music.
The video ends with Messi approaching the Argentine No. 10 jersey hanging on a hanger. He straightens it and walks away, marking the end of a chapter that began over two decades ago.
On Tuesday, Messi will play his 208th match with the Argentine national team in a sold-out game featuring multiple tributes, live music, and several players who have played alongside him during his 21 years with the white-and-blue shirt.
On that same Tuesday, Messi received an honorary doctorate from the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) at a ceremony held at the Argentine Football Association (AFA) headquarters in Ezeiza, just hours before his final match with the national team.
Since making his debut in 2005, Messi has scored 125 goals and recorded 66 assists. He holds the national team record for appearances, goals, and assists.
Messi played in six World Cups: Germany in 2006, South Africa in 2010, Brazil in 2014, Russia in 2018, Qatar in 2022, and the United States, Mexico, and Canada in 2026.
In those tournaments, he scored 21 goals in 34 matches, making him the all-time leading scorer in the South American qualifiers with 36 goals.
His legacy includes the 2005 U-20 World Cup title, a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, two Copa América titles (in 2021 and 2024), the 2022 Finalissima title, and the 2022 World Cup title in Qatar.EFE
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