Context and Importance
Lionel Messi closes more than two decades with the Argentina national team this Tuesday. The farewell takes place against Benin at the Monumental de Núñez in Buenos Aires.
Few players have crossed só many generations wearing the same shirt. Messi debuted in 2005 as a promising talent and leaves as Argentina's greatest idol alongside Maradona.
The number 10's farewell closes a cycle that runs from the 2005 debut to the 2022 world title.
Gazeta Esportiva listed ten landmark moments of this story, from the first chip shot to the World Cup. Here we organize that timeline and explain what it means for football.
What Happened
Messi steps onto the Monumental de Núñez pitch for his farewell match with the national team this Tuesday. The opponent is Benin, and the mood is one of tribute to a player whose place in history is already secure.
His Argentina career began in August 2005 against Hungary. The debut was harsh: he came on in the second half and was sent off a few minutes later.
The first goal came in 2006 in a friendly against Croatia, a chip over the goalkeeper. It was the first sign that this kid had an extraordinary destiny.
Impact on the National Team and Football
Messi's departure shifts Argentina's center of gravity. For almost twenty years everything revolved around the number 10, on and off the pitch.
Now the team must move on without its greatest reference. The 2022 champion generation has the talent, but the symbolic weight of the 10 shirt remains huge.
Messi leaves more than goals and trophies. He leaves a standard of demand for anyone who wears the albiceleste shirt.
For world football, the farewell also marks the end of an era. Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo dominated the scene for over a decade, and the comparison between them shaped fan debates.
Reaction from the Football World
The Argentine press treats the match as a historic event. Coverage blends nostalgia, gratitude and the feeling that an important page is being turned.
Among fans, the feeling is gratitude, even for those who suffered through the lost finals. Messi was criticized for years in Argentina but eventually won the country's definitive affection.
Outside Argentina, respect is widespread. Even rivals, such as Brazilians, recognize the scale of what he did in the albiceleste shirt, including at the Maracanã.
Historical Background
The road was not simple. Messi lost the 2007 Copa América final to Brazil and won Olympic gold in Beijing in 2008, his first major title with Argentina.
In 2014 he led Argentina to the World Cup final and was named the tournament's best player, but Germany won 1-0. In 2015 and 2016 came two Copa América finals lost to Chile, both on penalties.
After 2016, Messi even announced he was leaving the national team, but changed his mind and stayed until the end of the journey.
The turning point came in 2021 with the Copa América title over Brazil at the Maracanã. Then came the 2022 Finalissima, won 3-0 against Italy at Wembley, and the World Cup in Qatar.
In the 2022 final, Argentina drew 3-3 with France and won on penalties, 4-2. In 2024 the team lifted another Copa América, beating Colombia 1-0 in the final.
Numbers and Statistics
Messi's numbers for Argentina are striking, even without going into detail. He has more than 190 matches and more than 110 goals in the albiceleste shirt.
At World Cups he holds the record for matches played, with 26 games. In Qatar alone he scored 7 goals in a single edition.
Messi was sent off minutes after debuting for Argentina in 2005 and ended his career as a world champion.
These numbers help explain why he is treated as one of the greatest of all time. But what really remains is the mix of talent, persistence and titles in decisive moments.
What Comes Next
The next chapter is life for Argentina without Messi on the pitch. The team must prove that the group's strength goes beyond a single star.
For Messi, leaving the national team does not mean the end of his story in sport. What comes next is unknown, and the fans' affection goes with him on any path.
For supporters, the task is to keep the vídeos, the finals and the memories. It will be impossible to see the albiceleste number 10 without remembering the player who carried it for twenty years.
Expert Opinion
Messi ends his national team journey the way great idols dream of: world champion, champion of the Americas and with the fans beside him.
My reading is simple: Messi's Argentina career shows that a legend is not someone who never falls, but someone who gets up after every lost final. He tried, failed, returned and won.
There is also a lesson for the Brazilian fan: recognizing a rival's greatness is part of loving football. Messi deserves that respect, regardless of the shirt we support.
The farewell is a collective thank-you. Thank you, Messi, for twenty years of football that made the world stop to watch.
