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Buenos Aires: Less than 24 hours after calling time on his international career, Lionel Messi said yesterday he was already missing wearing the Argentina jersey.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, who scored a penalty in Tuesday’s 3-0 win over Benin in his Buenos Aires swansong, had described the occasion as the “saddest day of my career”.
Messi led Argentina to World Cup glory four years ago but his team came under severe criticism for their aggressive style of play during their run to the final in July, when they lost to Spain.
“Yesterday was my last match and I’m already missing the light blue and white jersey,” said Messi on social media.
But he added: “I know I’m taking the right decision.”
Messi is Argentina’s record goalscorer with 126 goals, more than double the next most prolific national team player.
He has won a record number of caps with 208, and his 70 assists for the national team are also the best ever.
“It was an incredible journey, full of joy but also some sorrow,” he added, while thanking his family and teammates, and paying tribute to Argentina’s other football legend, the late Diego Maradona.
‘Saddest day of my career’
Earlier, Messi described his retirement from international football as the “saddest day of my career”.
“It was a huge source of pride for me to defend this jersey for more than 20 years,” Messi told the 80,000-plus spectators in the stadium.
“Even in the worst moments we went through and that I had, I never stopped fighting, never stopped being here,” added the 39-year-old.
“Not coming anymore is going to be deeply painful. I swear I’d like to play for the rest of my life, because playing for the Argentina national team is the most beautiful thing that can happen to you.”
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni, who was at the helm as Messi finally achieved his dream of winning football’s biggest prize the World Cup in 2022, said there would never be another player of his ability.
“He is unique,” said Scaloni, whose played alongside Messi for a year in the national team.
“I have never seen such a set of skills in any other player in all my life.”
An emotional Scaloni, who cried during the national anthem, said to have been given the opportunity to coach a team with Messi in it was beyond his wildest dreams.
“I owe him a debt of eternal gratitude, for everything he gave to us,” said the 48-year-old. “I told him in front of everybody, with the little energy that I still had: never in my life did I imagine I would coach the best footballer in history.”
Messi said that returning to the Monumental -- where Argentina played their first game after winning the 2022 World Cup -- was bittersweet.
“Now I’m here on the saddest day of my career, which is the day I have to say goodbye to the national team, goodbye to all of you.
“But now I’ll be on that side (with the fans), supporting all the boys, everyone who comes in. Always united,” he said.
