Messi bid farewell to Argentina in a ceremony that saw the Buenos Aires crowd of 85,000 give a round of applause before kickoff. The 39‑year‑old opened the scoring with a penalty, his 126th international goal, and later assisted Nicolás Otamendi and Nico Paz as the side led 3‑0 in the final minutes.
After the third goal, Messi came close again, striking the post before curling a final free‑kick over the bar, underscoring the emotional nature of his send‑off. The match, described as a perfectly scripted finale, ended his 21‑year international career on a high note.