Lionel Messi retires from Argentina national football team

Lionel Messi Argentina national team El Monumental football retirement Benin

Lionel Messi has officially retired from the Argentina national football team following a 3-0 victory against Benin at El Monumental. In his final appearance, Messi contributed to all three goals, including a penalty, concluding a 21-year international career that includes the 2022 World Cup title and multiple Copa América trophies.

The farewell event, attended by over 85,000 fans, featured a performance of the National Anthem by Malvinas veteran Fabio Santana. The evening's musical program included various artists such as Q'Lokura and Damas Gratis, though the scheduled performance by Grupo Cali was abruptly suspended due to organizational issues, leading to criticism from fans.

Messi expressed his gratitude to his family, teammates, and supporters via social media, stating that while leaving the 'Albiceleste' is painful, he is certain it is the right decision.

Entities

Argentina national football team · Argentina national team · Benin · El Monumental · Estadio Monumental · Fabio Santana · Grupo Cali · Lionel Messi

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 2 SOURCES] Lionel Messi announced his retirement from the Argentina national football team. diarioelatlantico.com.ar · www.cba24n.com.ar
[○ 1 SOURCE] Damas Gratis performed as part of the musical program before the match. www.cronica.com.ar
[● 4 SOURCES] More than 85,000 fans attended the match at El Monumental. diarioelatlantico.com.ar · almafuertenoticias.com.ar · www.periodicolabarra.com.ar · www.cba24n.com.ar
[● 6 SOURCES] Messi played his final match for Argentina at El Monumental stadium. diarioelatlantico.com.ar · www.cronica.com.ar · tn.com.ar · almafuertenoticias.com.ar · www.periodicolabarra.com.ar · +1 more
[○ 1 SOURCE] The band Q'Lokura performed during the pre-match festivities. www.cronica.com.ar
[● 2 SOURCES] The musical group Grupo Cali suspended their performance during the event due to organizational issues. tn.com.ar · elciudadanoweb.com
[● 3 SOURCES] Fabio Santana, a Malvinas veteran, performed the Argentine National Anthem during the event. almafuertenoticias.com.ar · www.periodicolabarra.com.ar · www.cronica.com.ar
[● 2 SOURCES] Argentina defeated Benin 3-0 in Messi's final match. www.cba24n.com.ar · elciudadanoweb.com