On Tuesday, Lionel Messi – widely regarded as the greatest player ever to play the sport – will officially hang up his boots for the Argentina national team, following a final farewell match against Benin.
During his 21-year career with La Albiceleste, Messi has accomplished virtually everything possible at the international level, becoming Argentina's all-time leader in caps (207) and goals (125) while leading his country to two Copa América titles and a FIFA World Cup crown.
Ahead of Messi's final international match vs. Benin, let's take a look back at the best moments of his illustrious international career, from start to finish.
August 17, 2005. A date that will forever be remembered in Argentina's football history.
At just 18, Messi made his international debut, the first of hundreds in the sky-blue and white of Argentina, replacing Lisandro López in a 2-1 win over Hungary.
For Messi, however, his debut was extremely short-lived. In fact, it only lasted 47 seconds. After coming on as a second-half substitute, Messi was harshly sent off.
Less than a year later, still early in his international career, Messi was selected for Argentina's 2006 FIFA World Cup squad.
The young star played in three matches, as La Albiceleste were defeated by Germany on penalties during the quarterfinals, but he announced himself to the world on the biggest stage, contributing 1g/1a in a 6-0 thrashing of Serbia and Montenegro to become Argentina's youngest World Cup goalscorer on his tournament debut.
Although it wasn't a senior international title, Messi added to his personal trophy cabinet in 2008 by winning an Olympic gold medal in Beijing.
On a star-studded team that included legendary names such as Ángel Di María, Sergio Agüero, Ezequiel Lavezzi, Javier Mascherano, and others, Messi led Argentina to gold, cruising with a perfect 6W-0D-0L record and defeating Nigeria 1-0 in the gold medal match.
Now 27, Messi made his third World Cup appearance in the 2014 edition in Brazil.
It was his best World Cup performance to date. The legendary No. 10 captained his national team and tallied 4g/1a, leading Argentina to the tournament final, where they lost to Germany 1-0 in extra time.
Although he couldn't lift his first World Cup title, Messi won the Golden Ball, awarded to the tournament's best player.
In 2021, Messi finally won his first-ever senior international title.
After reaching the Copa América final but falling short on three prior occasions – the last of which prompted a brief early retirement in 2016 – Messi and Argentina finally got over the hump in the 2021 edition, defeating arch-rivals Brazil 1-0.
The GOAT finished the tournament with 4g/5a and was named co-best player of the tournament alongside Neymar.
The international honors didn't stop there, though. Just a year later, Messi won the most elusive and important international trophy of his career: the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
At 35, many had expected the 2022 edition to mark the conclusion of his World Cup career. But Messi returned for his fifth World Cup in as strong a form as ever.
The Argentine legend guided La Albiceleste to their first World Cup title in 36 years, recording 7g/3a, including a brace in the final, as Argentina defeated France 4-2 on penalties, following a 3-3 draw after extra time.
For many, the World Cup victory solidified Messi's spot as the greatest of all time. He was awarded his second World Cup Golden Ball, becoming the first player ever to win multiple, and later claimed his record eighth Ballon d'Or in 2023.
Like a fine wine, Messi's international career kept getting better with age.
Fresh off his World Cup victory, the 37-year-old star captained La Albiceleste at the 2024 Copa América, leading Argentina to yet another continental title with a 1-0 extra-time win over Colombia in the final.
At 39, with four senior international trophies under his belt, it would have surprised no one if Messi had called it quits on his Argentina national team career. Yet when head coach Lionel Scaloni announced his 2026 FIFA World Cup roster, Messi's name was once again at the top of the list.
As in previous editions of the tournament, Inter Miami's star shone brightest. The legendary No. 10 scored eight goals, including a hat-trick in the opening match vs. Algeria, and delivered four assists while guiding Argentina to a second straight final.
Although La Albiceleste fell short to Spain in the final, Messi cemented his international legacy during the tournament, setting a host of records along the way.
