Last Tango: Messi scores, adds 2 assists in final Argentina match

It's really over.

Lionel Messi played his 208th and final match for Argentina on Tuesday - a 3-0 friendly win over Benin in Buenos Aires that was dubbed the "Last Tango" - to bring down the curtain on an iconic international career. Messi, 39, marked the occasion with a goal and two assists.

Relive all the highlights and best moments below.

Jump to: Farewell goal | Trademark assists

Messi's tearful goodbye

After the match, an emotional Messi addressed an adoring crowd of roughly 85,000 at the Estadio Monumental, touching on his retirement decision, his 21-year career with the national team, and more.

Message to the fans ...

"I can only thank you all. It has been a huge pride to defend this shirt for over 20 years. We never stopped fighting, never stopped giving everything. Playing for Argentina is the most beautiful thing," Messi said, as translated by Carl Innes of The Athletic.

Message to his teammates ...

"I want to thank all of my teammates. You made all of my dreams come true. The World Cup, the Copa America, the Finalissima. I was surrounded by warriors. I'm going to miss this."

Don't want to leave ...

"I don't want to leave this place. I don't want to leave the field. I love all of you, and I will miss all of you. I am proud to be Argentinian. I'm proud to have completed the dream."

Following his tearful speech, Messi, flanked by his teammates, walked off the pitch with his family. The perfect send-off.

Lighting up the sky

Messi put on a show on the pitch in his final game, and Argentina put on a show in the sky after the final whistle.

MESSI SCORES FAREWELL GOAL! 🚨

Of course.

Messi marked his 208th and final Argentina appearance with his 126th senior international goal - both are Albiceleste records - when he fired the ball home from the penalty spot in the 71st minute.

Messi grabs 2 assists

Messi's supernatural playmaking ability has always been just as prominent as his scoring touch throughout his storied career, so perhaps it was appropriate that his first goal contributions in Tuesday's match were assists.

Messi delivered a perfect corner kick that fellow Argentine veteran Nicolas Otamendi - also playing his final international game - smashed into the net to open the scoring in the 48th minute; the 38-year-old central defender is one of Messi's longest-serving international teammates. Poetic, isn't it?

Even more fittingly, Messi's second helper of the evening came when he played a short pass to Nico Paz, the 22-year-old rising star who many think will inherit Argentina's No. 10 shirt from Messi for the foreseeable future.

No goals in 1st half

Messi had multiple looks at goal in the first 45 minutes - he took four shots total, hitting the target twice - but couldn't find the net.

Argentina, as expected, dominated proceedings against the 89th-ranked team in the FIFA rankings, but the 2026 World Cup finalist hasn't been able to break the deadlock as of yet.

Monumental ovation

The match was halted in the 10th minute - Messi's shirt number - to allow the entire stadium (and the players on the pitch) to pay tribute to the left-footed magician who is widely regarded as soccer's GOAT.

Tell the grandkids about it

Sessi D'Almeida will never forget this moment. The 30-year-old midfielder, serving as Benin's captain Tuesday in place of injured skipper Steve Mounie, presented Messi with a gift ahead of the match.

D'Almeida will surely be talking about that photo for years to come.

'Gracias 10'

Ahead of the opening kickoff, Messi was welcomed onto the pitch with an enormous commemorative jersey displaying a simple message of thanks for his 21 years of service to the Albiceleste.

Manager Lionel Scaloni, who's been at the helm of the squad throughout Messi's most successful years with the national team, was in tears as the Argentine anthem played. Messi, too, appeared to be getting emotional.

The match kicked off 30 minutes behind its 7 p.m. ET scheduled start, but considering the occasion, everyone will give organizers a pass on this one.

Epic atmosphere

The atmosphere inside the Estadio Monumental was electric well before kickoff, with Messi's family in attendance to witness the event alongside roughly 85,000 spectators:

How we got here

Messi, 39, announced he was retiring from the Albiceleste in August, weeks after Argentina's 1-0 loss to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final.

In an open letter that Messi said he wrote two days after that extra-time defeat in the United States, he acknowledged it was the right time to step away, but admitted the decision hurt "deep inside."

Messi, who's still playing at the club level with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer, reunited with the national team last week for his farewell match. The Argentine Football Federation (AFA) said the contest versus Benin will ensure "the best player in the world gets the home send-off he truly deserves."

The match is Messi's record-extending 208th for Argentina.

He's the nation's all-time leading scorer and has led his country to three World Cup finals, lifting the trophy in Qatar in 2022. He's also claimed two Copa America titles (2021 and 2024) and an Olympic gold medal (2008) while wearing Argentina's famous blue and white shirt.

"Messi leaves behind something unequaled," Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said ahead of Tuesday's celebratory match. "We have to keep playing, but the feeling of having him on the pitch is unique. I've never seen anyone else convey what he does on a football field, and that is what we're going to miss."