MESSI LEAVES ARGENTINA WITH 126 GOALS AND 70 ASSISTS

Lionel Messi's final Argentina stats are 208 caps, 126 goals and 70 assists. The totals locked in on October 6, 2026, when Argentina beat Benin 3 to 0 at the Monumental in Buenos Aires and Messi scored his last international goal from the penalty spot.

207, 125 and 68 Going In

Messi walked into the farewell with 207 appearances, 125 goals and 68 assists for Argentina. Benin added one cap, one goal and two assists, which is how the ledger reached 208, 126 and 70.

The 207 is the number Messi retired on when he announced on August 31 that he would not play for Argentina again. FIFA confirmed October 6 as the date of the send off, and the friendly against Benin gave the count one more line.

54 in Friendlies, 36 in Qualifiers

Before the Benin match, Messi's goals split into 54 in friendlies, 36 in South American World Cup qualifiers, 21 at World Cups and 14 in Copa América, which adds to 125. Benin was a friendly, so that column now reads 55 and the total 126.

He scored ten hat tricks for Argentina, and his biggest single night was five goals against Estonia in a 5 to 0 win in June 2022.

34 World Cup Games Across Six Tournaments

Messi played in six World Cups, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 and 2026, which ties the most by any player. He made 34 appearances, scored 21 goals and has the most World Cup assists on record with 12.

The World Cup goal count moved late. He was on 19 when he scored a free kick against Jordan on June 28, a goal that made him the first player to score in seven straight World Cup games, and he finished the tournament on 21.

Four Trophies, Nine Finals

Argentina won four trophies with Messi in this stretch: the 2021 Copa América, the 2022 Finalissima, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and the 2024 Copa América. He played nine finals for the national team, three of them World Cup finals.

He leaves as Argentina's most capped player and its leading scorer, with 208 caps and 126 goals.