"A 40-Hour Flight Is Nothing": 150,000 Fans Gather for Messi's National-Team Farewell

Announced retirement from the national team after finishing runner-up at the World Cup
Final victory and spectacular drone show at his farewell match

Fans from around the world gathered in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to watch Lionel Messi (39, Inter Miami) play his final match for the national team.

Lionel Messi celebrates after completing a hat trick against Ecuador in the 18th round of the South American qualifiers for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Yonhap News Agency.

On October 6 (local time), local media outlets, including Radio Cadena 3, spoke with fans gathered outside Estadio Monumental to watch Messi's farewell match for Argentina.

Fans from countries and regions around the world, including South Korea, Nepal, Bangladesh, India, China, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Denmark, France and Russia, said in halting Spanish that they had come to watch the national-team farewell of "the greatest soccer player in history."

"Messi is the reason we love soccer," one fan said, adding, "A 40-hour flight is nothing."

Messi had announced his retirement from the Argentina national team on August 31 (local time). After making his debut in 2005, he announced his retirement from international soccer following Argentina's defeat in the 2016 Copa America final.

However, he reversed that decision after his country's president and fans made heartfelt appeals for him to stay. He later led Argentina to a runner-up finish at this year's World Cup in North America and then announced his retirement for a second time.

Messi brought his national-team career to a close with a friendly against Benin that day. The area around the stadium had been bustling since morning with fans who had come to see his final match. About 150,000 people reportedly attended a fan festival organized by the Argentine Football Association.

Fans began lining up to enter the stadium eight hours before kickoff, while those who could not get tickets gathered nearby to catch one last glimpse of Messi.

As Argentina's national anthem rang out through Estadio Monumental before kickoff, head coach Lionel Scaloni was moved to tears.

It was the final night Messi, a symbol of Argentine soccer, would take the field for his country. He scored from the penalty spot against Benin, continuing his scoring streak right through his final match. Argentina won 3-0.

When the referee blew the final whistle, the referee and all the players from Argentina and Benin embraced Messi and thanked him for more than 21 years of "dedication to the national team."

A spectacular drone show also lit up the sky, displaying a No. 10 jersey and an image of Messi's face to mark his retirement from the national team.

Messi scored 126 goals for Argentina and played for the national team for 21 years, leading the country to victory at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and two Copa America titles.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.