Most goals in international football: Messi ends Argentina career as second highest scorer
Most goals in international football: Messi ends Argentina career as second highest scorer Messi concluded his career as the second-highest scorer among all men, only behind Cristiano Ronaldo (146).
Most goals in international football: Messi ends Argentina career as second highest scorer Messi concluded his career as the second-highest scorer among all men, only behind Cristiano Ronaldo (146).
Article outline
- What happened
- The details
- The bottom line
Key points
- Lionel Messi brought the curtains down on his sensational 21-year Argentina career on Tuesday night in Buenos Aires during a 3-0 win over Benin.
- Messi played his first game on August 17, 2005, an infamous debut that lasted only 90 seconds after he copped a red card against Hungary.
- Messi scored a penalty in his final appearance for Argentina on Tuesday night.
- Messi shines in Argentina farewell, ends 21-year career with goal and assist.
Messi scored a penalty in his final appearance for Argentina on Tuesday night. (AP Photo).
Lionel Messi brought the curtains down on his sensational 21-year Argentina career on Tuesday night in Buenos Aires during a 3-0 win over Benin. And in customary Messi fashion, the Argentina talisman did not miss the scoresheet, having secured an assist and converted a penalty to lead a breezy win for the 2026 World Cup runners-up.
In short, most goals in international football: Messi ends Argentina career as second highest is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.

