Lionel Messi scored once and assisted two goals in his final Argentina appearance, a 3-0 friendly win over Benin on Tuesday at El Monumental in Buenos Aires. The 39-year-old played before a packed stadium, with Al Jazeera reporting more than 85,000 spectators attended.
Deutsche Welle said Messi converted a penalty in the 71st minute, his 126th international goal in his 208th match for Argentina. Nicolas Otamendi, also playing his final national-team match, and Nico Paz scored the other goals after Messi’s assists. Al Jazeera described the match as the end of Messi’s 21-year international career, with celebrations across the capital and at the stadium.