Lionel Messi brought the curtain down on a 21-year international career with a 3-0 win over Benin. In front of more than 85,000 spectators at River Plate's Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, the 39-year-old captain scored once and provided two assists. "Playing for Argentina is the most beautiful thing that can happen to you," Messi said in an emotional address after the match.
Argentina's all-time leading scorer struck his 126th goal in his 208th appearance with a superb free-kick. Over his international career, Messi won the World Cup and the Copa América, carving out a unique era in the history of the game before bidding the national team a triumphant farewell.
