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9 clusters · 1187 sources · 7 days · First seen · Last updated

Lionel Messi retires from Argentina national team

Overview

Lionel Messi has officially retired from the Argentina national team, concluding a 21-year international career. His final appearance, titled ‘The Last Tango’, took place at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires during a 3-0 victory over Benin. In this farewell match, the 39-year-old recorded one goal—a penalty—and two assists, bringing his career international totals to 126 goals and 208 appearances. The match also served as a farewell for defender Nicolás Otamendi. During the event, Messi shared an emotional moment with goalkeeper Juan Musso, gifting him a signed jersey with a humorous dedication. While the event featured emotional tributes, the post-match celebrations faced criticism due to significant technical and organizational failures. These included the absence of a central stage, power outages during musical performances, and errors with the planned drone show, as well as technical issues with the stadium’s LED screens. A dispute has since emerged between the production company, Marketing Sports, and River Plate regarding responsibility for these shortcomings. Marketing Sports attributed the failures to the stadium, while River Plate issued a statement denying responsibility for the disruptions. In post-match reflections, Messi described the day as “perhaps the saddest of his career” and noted on social media that he already misses wearing the national team jersey. He expressed gratitude to his family, teammates, and the late Diego Maradona. Longtime rival Cristiano Ronaldo publicly commended him, stating, “Leo, after all these years that you have defended your country's colors, you have made history that will last forever.” Amid the celebrations, the Benin Football Federation expressed dissatisfaction with match arrangements, citing a lack of revenue sharing, an absence of bonuses, and restrictions on players exchanging jerseys or taking photos with the Argentine squad. Additionally, speculation remains regarding the potential retirement of Messi’s number 10 jersey, though FIFA regulations may present obstacles.

Entities

Lionel Messi · Estadio Monumental · Argentina national team · Argentina national football team · Benin national football team

Claims

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

Coverage disagrees

Sources make claims that cannot both be true. CLSTR reports the disagreement; it does not decide who is right.

Timeline

  1. [SPORTS] 3 sources
    Lionel Messi retires from Argentina national team

    Following Lionel Messi's retirement from the Argentina national team, the football legend gifted RB Leipzig's Brajan Gruda a pair of limited-edition Adidas boots produced to honor his 208 international caps.

  2. [SPORTS] 3 sources
    Lionel Messi retires from international football

    Lionel Messi has retired from international football after a final appearance for Argentina, earning praise from longtime rival Cristiano Ronaldo for his historic career.

  3. [SPORTS] 19 sources
    Lionel Messi retires from Argentina national team after Benin match

    Lionel Messi retired from the Argentine national team after a 3-0 win against Benin in Buenos Aires, marking his 208th appearance and 126th goal in a match marked by both tribute and logistical issues.

  4. [SPORTS] 159 sources
    Lionel Messi retires from Argentina national team after 21 years

    Lionel Messi has retired from the Argentina national team after 21 years. In his final match, Argentina beat Benin 3-0, with Messi scoring once and providing two assists.

  5. [SPORTS] 3 sources
    Lionel Messi retires from Argentina national team

    Lionel Messi has retired from the Argentina national team following a final appearance in a friendly against Benin, where he scored his 126th international goal.

  6. [SPORTS] 8 sources
    Argentina defeats Burkina Faso 7-0 in international friendly

    Argentina secured a dominant 7-0 victory over Burkina Faso in a friendly match in Buenos Aires, featuring goals from Lautaro Martínez, Julián Álvarez, and others.

  7. [SPORTS] 1080 sources
    Lionel Messi retires from Argentina national team after final match

    Lionel Messi retired from the Argentina national team after a 3-0 win against Benin, scoring one goal and providing two assists in his 208th and final international appearance.

  8. [SPORTS] 154 sources
    Argentina defeats Burkina Faso 7-0 in international friendly

    Argentina defeated Burkina Faso 7-0 in a friendly at the Estadio Monumental, featuring goals from Martínez, Prestianni, Paz, and Álvarez, ahead of Lionel Messi’s international retirement match.

  9. [SPORTS] 2 sources
    Argentine Football Association accused of unfair commercial practices

    The Argentine Football Association faces accusations from Burkinabé media of maximizing profits from friendly matches by withholding participation fees and revenue from visiting national teams.

Sources

0223.com.ar · 072info.com · 101greatgoals.com · 13tv.es · 20minutos.com.mx · 20minutos.es · 24.hu · 24h.com.cy · 24hod.sk · 24sata.hr · 24ur.com · 3news.com · 442.perfil.com · 4gnews.pt · 4semanas.com · 5septiembre.cu · 680news.com · 7news.com.au · 889noticias.mx · abc17news.com · abc7chicago.com · abc7ny.com · abcnews.al · abcsaladillo.com.ar · abendblatt.de · abola.pt · adevarul.ro · adnKronos.com · adnsur.com.ar · adomonline.com · afamily.vn · africafootunited.com · africanmanager.com · afrikactus.com · agensur.info · agpnoticias.com · airevision.com.ar · ajansspor.com · ajkerbhola.com · ajkerpatrika.com · aksam.com.tr · aktuelno.me · alagoas24horas.com.br · alairelibre.cl · alaraby.co.uk · alertas24.com · alfajertv.com · alfredopedulla.com

This summary has been updated 144 times: see revision history