Lionel Messi plays final Argentina match as Inter Miami star enters new chapter

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi will bid farewell to international soccer on Tuesday when he plays his final match for Argentina, a friendly against Benin at Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires. The game is expected to be an emotional send-off for the 39-year-old, who has been the defining figure of the national team for nearly 20 years.

A historic Argentina legacy for the MLS icon

Messi leaves Argentina with a record of success unmatched in the country’s history. He lifted the 2022 World Cup, reached two other World Cup finals in 2014 and 2026, and captured back-to-back Copa América titles in 2021 and 2024. His honours also include an Olympic gold medal in 2008, and he departs as Argentina’s all-time leading scorer with 125 goals.

The end of his international career revives an old question in Argentina: can the team stay among the world’s elite without its talisman, or is another long drought looming, similar to the years after Diego Maradona? Head coach Lionel Scaloni, who is in advanced talks over a four-year contract extension, prefers to focus on continuity. He says Messi leaves "something unequaled" behind, but insists the national team will endure and remain at a high level.

Early signs from Argentina’s post-Messi era

Argentina has already played two matches since the World Cup without Messi and delivered emphatic results, defeating Bolivia 4-0 and Burkina Faso 7-0. While the opposition was modest, the performances offered a first look at what the next cycle could resemble as established leaders and emerging talents shared the stage.

Key contributors such as goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, defender Cristian Romero, midfielder Enzo Fernández and striker Lautaro Martínez remain central to the project. Around them, a younger generation is pushing through, including creative midfielders Nicolás Paz and Franco Mastantuono and wingers Gianluca Prestianni and Leonel Flores. Flores, a Boca Juniors prospect who only recently made his professional debut, has already been introduced to the senior national team setup.

Fans weigh the future beyond Messi

In the stands, some supporters speak of a clear changing of the guard and argue that Argentina must now think less in terms of one superstar and more as a complete unit. Others point to the depth of the current pool, highlighting Paz as a potential heir to some of Messi’s attacking responsibilities and emphasizing how many young players are ready to step into bigger roles.

Lautaro Martínez is emerging as a focal point for many fans as well. With his recent goal against Burkina Faso, the Inter Milan captain moved up to third on Argentina’s all-time scoring list with 42 goals. For a number of supporters, the priority is that players continue to leave everything on the pitch for the national shirt, confident that this mentality will keep Argentina in contention at major tournaments. The next big benchmark will come at the 2028 Copa América, but for Messi, Tuesday’s friendly in Buenos Aires will mark the final chapter with his country while his club career carries on in MLS with Inter Miami.