Lionel Messi retires from Argentina national team after Benin match

Lionel Messi Argentina national team international retirement Estadio Monumental football farewell

Lionel Messi has officially retired from the Argentine national team following a 3-0 victory against Benin at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires. During his final appearance, Messi recorded his 208th international cap and his 126th goal for the country.

The farewell event was marked by both high emotion and logistical controversy. While Messi received honorary membership from River Plate and was honored by teammates and international peers like Cristiano Ronaldo, the post-match tribute faced technical issues. The production company, Marketing Sports, blamed River Plate for power outages and the absence of a central LED screen, while River Plate issued a statement denying responsibility for the organizational failures.

Following his departure, Messi expressed that he already misses playing for the national team but believes he is making the right decision. He will now focus on his club career with Inter Miami, where he aims to pursue the MLS Cup and individual honors. Meanwhile, speculation has already begun regarding his successor for the iconic number 10 shirt, with Nico Paz emerging as a potential candidate.

Entities

Argentina national football team · Benin national football team · Diego Armando Maradona · Estadio Monumental · Lionel Messi · Marketing Sports · Monumental Stadium · River Plate

Claims

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

[● 8 SOURCES] Argentina defeated Benin 3-0 in Messi's final international appearance. loshechosempresariales.org · www.cnnbrasil.com.br · www.revistagente.com · xeudeportes.mx · chacosintesis.com.ar · +3 more
[● 8 SOURCES] Lionel Messi officially retired from the Argentine national team following a match against Benin. loshechosempresariales.org · www.cnnbrasil.com.br · xeudeportes.mx · chacosintesis.com.ar · cronachedi.it · +3 more
[● 7 SOURCES] The farewell match took place at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires. loshechosempresariales.org · www.cnnbrasil.com.br · cronachedi.it · www.revistagente.com · xeudeportes.mx · +2 more
[○ 1 SOURCE] The production company Marketing Sports blamed River Plate for logistical failures during the tribute ceremony. www.revistagente.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] Goalkeeper Juan Musso expressed gratitude on social media after receiving a signed jersey from Messi. cronachedi.it
[○ 1 SOURCE] River Plate issued a statement denying responsibility for the technical issues and power outages during the event. www.revistagente.com
[● 2 SOURCES] Messi recorded his 208th appearance and 126th goal for Argentina during the match. xeudeportes.mx · revistaq.mx
[○ 1 SOURCE] Lionel Messi expressed that he already misses playing for the Argentine national team one day after his farewell match. xeudeportes.mx