MESSI CALLS ARGENTINA RETIREMENT ‘SADDEST DAY OF MY CAREER’

Lionel Messi described his emotional departure from international football as the "saddest day of my career" following Argentina's 3-0 victory over Benin at the Estadio Monumental.

Speaking to over 85,000 roaring supporters in Buenos Aires, the legendary forward reflected on the heavy weight of hanging up his national team boots after a stellar 21-year journey.  

"Now I'm here on the saddest day of my career, which is the day I have to say goodbye to the national team," Messi shared.  

Capping off an unforgettable era that yielded a FIFA World Cup and two Copa América titles, Messi delivered a vintage masterclass on the pitch, orchestrating the win with two assists and sealing his final international appearance with a trademark penalty kick for his 126th career goal for the country.