Lionel Messi fought back the tears as he gave an emotional speech that left Argentina stars in tears as he pulled on the La Albiceleste shirt for the final time. The 39-year-old scored a penalty in a 3-0 win over Benin, before addressing supporters in Buenos Aires.
An Emotional Farewell Speech
In a speech at full-time, Messi said: "It's hard to say anything today; there are so many emotions, so many things are going through my mind. The first thing I think of is my dad. All I can do is express my gratitude, as I said in my farewell letter."
"It was a great honour to wear this jersey for over 20 years. Even in the worst moments we've faced, I never stopped fighting, never stopped giving my all, and never stopped being there. Not coming back is going to be a huge pain."
Reflecting on a Legendary Career
"I swear I'd like to come back for the rest of my life, because playing for the Argentine National Team is the most wonderful thing that can happen to you. While I want to stay here forever, I feel like it's the right time. The last World Cup was too much for me."
"We dreamed of being world champions again, we came so close, and the truth is, nothing unusual happened. We gave it our all; the match against England was incredibly draining for us, both physically and emotionally. The truth is, we barely made it."
Gratitude to Teammates and Fans
"We fought as always, as we always have with this jersey, with all the teammates I've shared it with. Have no doubt that every teammate I've had by my side has always given their all for this shirt."
"I want to thank my teammates for the time I shared with this group, who helped me fulfil my childhood dream of being a world champion, a champion of the Americas, a champion of the Finalissima, a champion of everything we played for."
"It was an enormous honour to share the field with them, both on and off the field. I was ready to compete against anyone because I knew I had warriors by my side who would give their all. I'm going to miss playing here so much. I was lucky enough to travel all over the country, and I always received tremendous affection."
A Bittersweet Goodbye
"I'm so grateful for everything I experienced. I'm thankful that all this time, wherever I went, the stadium was always packed, no matter the match: World Cup, Copa América... They were everywhere, making a huge effort, because we know how difficult it is, and we always feel like we're playing at home everywhere. We really felt that."
"This is where I experienced one of the happiest days of my career: when we played again after winning the World Cup. I'll never forget what I experienced that day. It was beautiful. To this day, I watch videos, and I get emotional. That day will forever be etched in my history, in theirs, in my family's... It was spectacular, thank you so much."
"Today, back here again, I'm surely experiencing the saddest day of my career, because it's the day I say goodbye to the National Team and to all of you. I'm going to miss defending the colours of the National Team, but now I'll be on that side, with all of you, supporting all these guys and whatever comes next. Always united."
Final Words of Support
"It's been more than proven that when we come together and stand united, we're stronger than anyone and can overcome anything. Tough times are coming, for sure, because what we've accomplished during this time isn't normal. And in those tough times, we have to be there to support them more than ever."
"As I always tell them, as I said in our last talk: to achieve great goals, we need to build strong, united teams, because there are people who want to see the national team fail. We can't give them the satisfaction."
"The tough times, the difficult times, are when you really see what a group is made of. When there aren't strong groups, it's very hard to achieve anything. And I tell you, we were an extraordinary group, and that's why we achieved everything we did."
"The truth is, I'm talking more than ever. I don't want to leave, I don't want to leave the field. I just want to tell you that I love you all, I'm going to miss you, and I'm so grateful to God for being Argentinian, proud to be Argentinian, and proud to have fulfilled my dreams with all of you. Thank you so much, I love you all."
