An era in world football has come to an end. Lionel Messi wore the Argentina shirt for the final time, and in an emotional evening at the Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires, he said goodbye to the Albiceleste with a goal and two assists in a 3-0 victory over Benin.
Messi, 39, the record holder for Ballon d'Or awards with eight wins, closed out an international career that spanned 21 years. He finishes as Argentina's all-time leader in appearances with 208 matches and as the national team's all-time leading scorer with 126 goals.
Even before kickoff, it was clear this was no ordinary friendly. The start of the match was delayed by about half an hour, and during the playing of the national anthems, both Messi and national team coach Lionel Scaloni were visibly struggling to contain their emotions.
In the 10th minute, a tribute to the number so closely associated with Messi throughout his career, the match stopped. The entire crowd rose to its feet and cheered for the star, as fireworks and songs from the stands accompanied the farewell moment.
