It was his last night wearing Argentina’s shirt, and Messi didn’t want to leave anything unsaid.
After the 3-0 win over Benín at the Monumental, a match in which he started, scored from the penalty spot and provided two assists, the captain spoke about the 2026 World Cup final that Argentina lost to Spain. He was direct: “The truth is, nothing unusual happened against Spain, as people say”.
According to him, the fatigue from the previous match against England took a greater toll than people think. “It was exhausting; we came in with very little left in the tank”, he said. With that comment, he put an end to the rumors that had surrounded the national team since that final.
He also had a message for the team: “It’s in the tough moments that you see what a group is made of. We had an extraordinary group, and that’s why we achieved everything we achieved”.
The Monumental said goodbye to him after more than 20 years with the Albiceleste. Do you believe Messi, or do you think there was something more?