Argentina and Barcelona legend Lionel Messi struggled to contain his emotions on what was his final competitive appearance on home soil. Messi himself confirmed that it would be so, and he received a rapturous response from the home crowd at El Monumental in Buenos Aires.
Ahead of the game, it was billed as Messi’s last game in Argentina, and he did not disappoint. During a comfortable 3-0 win over Venezuela, Messi grabbed a brace to crown the occasion. The Albiceleste were already qualified in top spot from the South American qualifiers.
An emotional Lionel Messi takes in the Argentine national anthem 🥲
It's Argentina's last home game of the qualifying campaign, and potentially Messi's last international on home soil 🇦🇷
— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) September 4, 2025
Already during the warm-up, the home crowd were keen to show their appreciation for their captain. He was playing his 193rd game for Argentina, 20 years after his first, and struggled to hold back the emotions. During that time he has managed a remarkable 114 goals and 61 assists. He is by a distance (of 64 to Gabriel Batistuta) the leading goalscorer in their history, and their most capped player (by a distance of 47 from Javier Mascherano, now his manager at Inter Miami).
Leo Messi está emocionado.
— Gastón Edul (@gastonedul) September 4, 2025
💔 La emoción de Leo Messi. #EliminatoriasSudamericanas #LaCasaDelFútbol
— Fútbol en Movistar Plus+ (@MovistarFutbol) September 4, 2025
I don’t want to know how I will handle in his very last game because I am in tears now for his last Argentina home game. I keep having flashbacks to 2006 when I first saw his Argentina debut at the World Cup…🥹
— Messi Fanatic (@MessiFanatic_) September 4, 2025
After the game, the crowd waited behind in the stadium to give Messi a send off, which equally had some memories for the 38-year-old to save away.
The entire Argentina crowd chant and bow down to Lionel Messi 🇦🇷🐐
— MC (@CrewsMat10) September 5, 2025
Messi was joined by his three children as mascots, with partner Antonella Rocuzzo and his family in the stands.
The entire Argentina crowd chant and bow down to Lionel Messi 🇦🇷🐐
— MC (@CrewsMat10) September 5, 2025
Perhaps the headline news, beyond the occasion, was the potential absence of Messi from the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Many had taken it as a given that if Messi were fit, then he would be present for a final tournament next year, but Messi explained that it was more probable that he was not representing Argentina next summer.
