Messi's Farewell Speech: Tears and Tributes at the Monumental

Lionel Messi called his Argentina farewell "the most difficult day" of his career in a tearful 10-minute speech at the Estadio Monumental, as Lionel Scaloni, Enzo Fernandez, Rodrigo De Paul and Neymar led the tributes after the 3-0 win over Benin.

“The most difficult day”: Messi's 10-minute speech

More than 85,000 people filled the Estadio Monumental for a night choreographed around one man. After a drone show and a folk performance from Soledad Pastorutti, the microphone passed to Lionel Messi, and a 21-year international career finally got its farewell address.

Speaking with his voice breaking, Messi told the crowd that saying goodbye to Argentina was the hardest thing he had done in football. "Honestly, it's hard to say anything today," he began. "There's a lot of emotion, many things." His first thought, he said, was for his late father, Jorge: "Obviously, the first thing I think about is my dad."

Looking back over more than two decades in the shirt, Messi insisted he had left nothing behind. Defending the jersey, he said, had been a huge honour, and even through the worst moments he had never stopped fighting or wanting to be there. "To not come back will be very painful for me," he continued. "I swear to you that I'd love to be here my whole life. To play for the Argentina national team is the most beautiful thing that can happen to someone."

He reserved his warmest words for the squad that carried him to the top of world football. His teammates, he said, had helped him fulfil his childhood dreams — a World Cup, two Copas America, a Finalissima — and he had always known he was surrounded by warriors who gave their lives. "I'm thankful to God for making me Argentine," he closed, "and to have made the dream come true with all of you."

Scaloni, Enzo, De Paul: tributes from the dressing room

Long before the speech, emotion had been spilling over. Enzo Fernandez was in floods of tears as Messi addressed the crowd, and after the final whistle the Manchester City midfielder could barely contain himself. "We will miss Leo... how much did I cry tonight, incredible," Fernandez said.

Lionel Scaloni, the coach who guided Argentina to the 2022 World Cup with Messi as his captain, chose his words carefully. "We will now build with new talents, new young players, we will look at new ways," he said, "but I have never seen such aura like Lionel Messi has. We will start a new chapter, but what Leo transmits, that's impossible to replace."

Lisandro Martinez kept it short and personal: "I told Leo Messi that I love him with all my heart."

Rodrigo De Paul, Messi's closest friend in the squad and his Inter Miami teammate, gave the most moving tribute of the night. "He made me grow not only as a footballer, but also as a person," De Paul said. "I became a better person, a better human being, a better athlete, a better father and a better friend. I want to tell him that I love him. He knows that he is my brother and that he has an enormous heart."

Di Maria and Neymar: messages from old brothers-in-arms

Angel Di Maria, who shared more than a decade and a half of Argentina service with Messi, watched from the stands. "Seeing him with so much happiness, and that tranquillity of knowing that he gave everything he had, is what makes us all happy," Di Maria said. "I thank him for life."

From afar, Neymar — Messi's former Barcelona and PSG teammate — posted an emotional Instagram tribute. "Today is your last game with the jersey of your team, of your country," he wrote, "and I hope you enjoy every second, that all the tributes today make you happy. Not only Argentina, the world thanks you for everything you did for football... THANK YOU @leomessi."

"It was an honour to have played against you," Neymar added, "and even more to make history by your side."

A night of tears before the speech

Tears had arrived long before Messi picked up the microphone. As the Argentine anthem was sung by Fabio Santana, a Falklands War veteran, Messi could not sing the final lines — his eyes had filled. A huge "Messi 10" shirt lay across the pitch beneath him, and Scaloni himself was already in tears.

After just ten minutes, play was stopped for another ovation, with fireworks going off as Messi waved to the crowd. His three sons — Thiago, Mateo and Ciro — had walked out with him, while his mother and wife watched from the stands alongside Di Maria and Sergio Aguero.

Even the opposition made the night about him. Benin captain Sessi D'Almeida presented Messi with gifts and a letter before kick-off, left briefly speechless by the occasion. When the final whistle blew on the 3-0 win, the referee handed Messi the match ball along with his red and yellow cards, and players from both sides gathered around him for embraces.

The city said gracias

Buenos Aires had spent the day saying goodbye. Hours before kick-off, a massive No. 10 shirt emblazoned with "Gracias" was unfurled at the National Flag Memorial in Rosario, Messi's hometown. As the team bus travelled from the training centre bearing his name, Messi wiped away tears while thousands lined the route.

Landmarks across the capital glowed in Argentina's sky blue and white, and fireworks lit the sky above a packed Monumental as the crowd poured its heart into the national anthem. For years, the country had asked Messi to deliver; on this night, it simply came to say thank you.

One last defence of his legacy

Even in farewell, Messi had time to defend the record of his final World Cup. He told the crowd that Argentina had reached the 2026 final on merit, pushing back at claims of favouritism. "The last World Cup, we were very close and honestly nothing weird happened like people say," he said. "We gave everything. The game against England was a huge effort."

"We couldn't be champions," he continued, as the fans cheered. "We were close, but I have no doubt that all teammates I played with always gave everything for this shirt."

With 208 caps, 126 goals and 69 assists — all national records — the speech closed the greatest international career Argentina has ever produced. When he finally put the microphone down, the drone show lit up the sky one more time, and the chant of "Messi, Messi, Messi" followed him down the tunnel.

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