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Hours before saying goodbye to the Argentine national team, Lionel Messi expressed this Tuesday that he is leaving “in peace” after having “given it all” for the albiceleste jersey, which he will wear for the last time in the friendly against Benin, from 8:00 p.m. local time (23:00 GMT), at the Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires.
“The moment has arrived. I leave in peace, I gave it all. This jersey was my dream, my pride, and my life. Thank you for loving me so much, I will miss you all,” said the Argentine captain in a video published on Adidas' official social media channels, which reviews different moments of his career with the national team and features “Gracias a la vida,” by the Argentine Mercedes Sosa, as background music.
The video ends with Messi approaching the number 10 Argentine jersey, hanging on a hanger; he straightens it and walks away, in an image that symbolizes the closing of a chapter that began more than two decades ago.
The striker from Rosario will play his 208th match with the Argentine national team this Tuesday, in a sold-out game that will feature multiple tributes, live music, and the presence of several of the players who accompanied him during his 21 years with the Albiceleste.
Since his debut in 2005, Messi has scored 125 goals and provided 66 assists. He is the player with the most appearances, the top scorer, and the top assist provider in the national team's history.
He also played in six World Cups: Germany 2006, South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014, Russia 2018, Qatar 2022, and the United States, Mexico, and Canada 2026.
In those tournaments, he accumulated: 21 goals and 34 matches, and he was the all-time top scorer of the South American Qualifiers, with 36 goals.
Regarding titles, his legacy includes the 2005 U-20 World Cup, the gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the 2021 and 2024 Copa América titles, the 2022 Finalissima, and the 2022 Qatar World Cup. EFE
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