Barça says goodbye to Messi after his last goal with Argentina
Barça said goodbye to Lionel Messi after his last match with the Argentina national team, a 3‑0 victory over Benin at the Mas Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires on October 6, 2026, where the star scored a penalty and provided two assists.
Lionel Messi ended his career with the Albiceleste with historic figures. He recorded 208 matches, scored 126 goals and added 69 assists, and at 39 years old he bids farewell as world champion and double Copa América winner. His stint with the national team included the gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Since his debut with the first team of FC Barcelona, Messi became the club’s all‑time top scorer and its main reference.
Barça's message on X
FC Barcelona waited until the friendly ended before publishing its message on the X network. On October 7, 2026, Barça shared a photo of the young Messi with the gold medal and the text: “Since that gold in Beijing 2008, an unforgettable career…”. The post was accompanied by the signature of journalist Ángel Pérez. The message was posted from the official account @FCBarcelona, which received thousands of reactions within minutes.
In the subsequent press conference, Messi said the day was “the saddest of his career”. He declared that his first thought was his father and thanked everyone who allowed him to wear the shirt for more than twenty years. He added that, although he would like to continue, he felt the time had come to say goodbye. “I would like to return for the rest of my life,” he said, underscoring his love for the shirt.
Emotional farewell at the Mas Monumental
The Mas Monumental stadium, with an attendance close to 80,000 spectators, was filled with applause, fireworks and a drone show. Messi entered the field accompanied by his three sons and delivered a speech of around four minutes that left several fans on the verge of tears. The crowd chanted his name several times, creating a unique farewell atmosphere. The ovation lasted several minutes, accompanied by fireworks lighting the sky.
The star played the full ninety minutes, without being substituted, and saw the final whistle as confirmation of his farewell. Visibly moved, Messi held the crowd’s gaze before leaving the field. After the whistle, he received hugs, chants and an ovation that lasted several minutes, while a few tears fell discreetly.
Worldwide, fans, clubs, institutions and teammates flooded social media with messages of gratitude and praise for the global star. The hashtags #GraciasMessi and #AdiósLeo topped the trends on the network for several hours. The entire football community paid tribute to a career that, according to many, will be remembered as the greatest of all time.