Lionel Messi has played his final match for Argentina, a 3-0 friendly win over Benin on Tuesday that ended a 21-year international career. The 39-year-old scored one goal and set up two others in front of more than 85,000 fans at the packed Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires.
His next task is with Inter Miami, who are looking to break a five-match winless streak in Major League Soccer (MLS) when they host DC United on Saturday.
Messi’s farewell and his Argentina legacy
Messi leaves Argentina as the country’s most-capped player, with 208 appearances, and as its record scorer. He is also the most decorated player and captain in the squad’s history, according to the report.
His career turned years of frustration on the international stage into World Cup and Copa America triumphs. Messi’s final bow drew a crowd that filled the stadium on a night of farewell celebrations.
Inter Miami and DC United fight for playoff places
Inter Miami (12-5-10, 46 points) sit third in the Eastern Conference, level on points with New England. The Revolution hold the tiebreaker with 14 wins so far.
DC United (6-8-12, 30 points) are 11th, three points behind the final playoff spot. They are looking to break a three-match winless streak and win their first match since September 9.
Miami’s recent form has been mixed. They won the Campeones Cup on September 16 in the first match under recently hired coach Kily Gonzalez, but they drew with San Diego and lost 2-1 at Columbus last Sunday. Miami have won only once in their last 10 league matches.
Messi has 21 goals and 13 assists in league play as he chases a third consecutive MLS MVP award. Gonzalez said on Friday: “Leo is a person who every day conveys it and passes it on to his teammates, and he demands from all of us that you have to be at 100% in every way.”
The teams last met on March 7 in Baltimore, when Miami won 2-1. Messi and Rodrigo De Paul scored in that game.
