LIONEL Messi brought his glittering Argentina career to a fitting end with a goal against Benin on an emotional night in Buenos Aires.
The 39-year-old, playing his 208th and final international game, converted a second-half penalty to register his 126th Argentina goal.
He had earlier provided assists for Nicolas Otamendi and Nico Paz in a comfortable 3-0 friendly win.
Messi, who announced his international retirement in August, played the full 90 minutes before the 85,000-strong sell-out crowd inside the Monumental were treated to a laser light show, live music and presentations.
He also addressed the crowd with a speech spanning nearly 10 minutes, with some of his team-mates – including Manchester City’s Enzo Fernandez – in tears as Messi admitted he did not want to leave the field.
His career will continue at club level with Major League Soccer team Inter Miami, with whom he has a contract that runs to the end of the 2028 season.
On a night of celebrations from start to finish in the Argentine capital, Messi was often seen to be visibly moved by the occasion.
The former Barcelona and Paris St-Germain forward was filmed wiping away tears on the coach journey to the ground and again appeared overcome by emotion during a rousing rendition of the country’s national anthem.
Before kick-off a spectacular firework display greeted the players on to the pitch, while a giant Argentina shirt – bearing Messi’s iconic number 10 and the word ‘gracias’ (thank you) – was sprawled across the field.
Ten minutes into the game, play was then brought to a halt for yet more fireworks, another standing ovation for Messi and handshakes from every Benin player.
Once the fanfare subsided, Messi was typically at the heart of everything going forward for Argentina, seeing two free-kicks well saved, twice missing glorious chances from inside the six-yard box and then hitting the post in the closing stages.
When he made his announcement in August, Messi said the decision to retire “hurt” but that “the time has come”.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner said he had written his retirement message on 21 July, two days after Argentina lost to Spain in this summer’s World Cup final.
Messi made his debut for Argentina in 2005 as a 63rd-minute substitute in a 2-1 friendly win over Hungary. However, he was shown a straight red card less than a minute later, after he swung his arm and his elbow connected with full-back Vilmos Vanczak.
Despite his tough start on the international stage, Messi went on to become one of the all-time greats, winning the World Cup and two Copa America titles with Argentina.
He is the second-highest goalscorer in World Cup history, with 21, behind France’s Kylian Mbappe (22), and second for goals in all internationals (125) behind his great contemporary and rival, Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo (146).