Lionel Messi’s final appearance for Argentina against Benin at the Monumental in Buenos Aires marks the end of one of the most remarkable international careers in football.
The match is Messi’s 208th appearance for Argentina, making him the country’s most-capped player and record goalscorer.
The 39-year-old had announced his international retirement on 31 August, saying he had nothing left to give after an extraordinary career that included World Cup and Copa América triumphs.
While the farewell brought an emotional close to Messi’s Argentina career, his future in football was already taking a different direction.
Rather than immediately stepping away from the sport, Messi had begun building a growing football ownership portfolio.
In April, he bought Spanish fifth-tier club UE Cornellà, which became part of his plans to develop young players.
His football interests expanded further in October when second-tier Spanish club CD Eldense announced Messi as its new owner, subject to approval from Spain’s National Sports Council.
The ownership move gave Messi a more direct role in shaping the future of a club. Eldense appointed former Villarreal manager Javi Calleja, with avoiding relegation becoming an immediate priority.
Messi was already closely following the club’s progress. After Eldense defeated Real Oviedo 4-1, he posted “Aupa Deportivo” on Instagram in his first public message as owner.
His arrival also generated commercial interest, with around a dozen potential sponsors reportedly approaching the club within days.
Messi’s football ambitions extended beyond Spain. In Uruguay, he and former Argentina and Barcelona team-mate Luis Suárez founded Deportivo LSM in May 2025. The club secured promotion to the country’s third tier during its first season.
Plans for a wider network of clubs were subsequently scaled back because of the financial investment required to move teams through the divisions.
Messi’s playing career also remained intact through his contract with Inter Miami, which runs until the end of the 2028 season.
His post-playing agreement with the MLS club includes shares in Inter Miami, further strengthening his links to football ownership.
A return to Newell’s Old Boys, Barcelona or another famous club remained a subject of speculation, but those close to Messi did not expect him to leave the football structure he had established around Europe and Miami.
His final Argentina appearance represents more than a farewell.
It marked the closing of Messi’s international career while offering a glimpse of what could become his next role in football — not as a player or coach, but as an owner helping shape clubs from behind the scenes.