Lionel Messi Farewell Highlights, Argentina Vs Benin: Leo Bids Adieu To ARG With A Goal, Two Assists And 3-0 Win

Hello and Namaste! Welcome to our live coverage of the Argentina vs Benin international friendly in Buenos Aires. We will bring you real-time updates, live scores, key moments, tactical analysis, and instant reactions as Lionel Messi and Argentina take on Benin in what promises to be an emotional night.

The Argentina vs Benin friendly will be available to stream live on ZEE5, but Lionel Messi's farewell match will not be broadcast live on any TV channel in India.

This one is already emotional, and I am going to apologise in advance for being a little biased today. Before kick-off, the groundstaff have unfurled a massive Argentina No. 10 shirt on the pitch, but there is no Messi name on it.

Instead, it simply reads “Gracias”. And that is enough to set the crowd off, with the stadium ringing out to “Messi, Messi, Messi!” The farewell has not even begun, and the emotions are already flowing.

We should have been underway by now, but there is still a little wait. The broadcast has cut to the tunnel, where both teams are lining up and getting ready to walk out. Messi is yet to appear, and of course, everyone is waiting for that moment. The players begin making their way onto the pitch, and then comes Messi, all smiles as he steps out for what is a very special night, or in India's case, morning.

The formalities are underway now, with Benin's national anthem ringing out first. The broadcast then cuts to a wide shot of that giant Argentina No. 10 shirt with “Gracias” emblazoned across it. And now, it is time for the Argentina national anthem. The atmosphere is building with every passing second.

Messi is not the only one struggling to hold back the tears. Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni is visibly emotional during the national anthem, wiping away tears as the farewell to his captain begins to sink in.

Benin tap it off from the centre circle and we are away. Lionel Messi's final night in an Argentina shirt has officially begun, and every touch from here on carries a little extra weight. Settle in, this is one to savour.

Cristian Romero thinks he has won the ball cleanly, only to hear Fernando Vejar's whistle, and he is not having it. Arms out, eyes wide, he wants a word. Benin then float the free kick into the box from long range, but an Argentina defender gets there first and clears it.

Benin string together a tidy little move, one-twos and quick layoffs, looking for a gap in the Argentina shape. Nothing opens up just yet, but they are enjoying the ball and the visitors clearly did not come to simply watch Messi.

Ten minutes gone, number 10 on the shirt, and the referee halts play so everyone can say thank you. The whole crowd is on its feet, the coaches and the players on the bench are clapping too, and Leo soaks it in before turning to acknowledge the stands. A proper goosebumps moment.

Messi sees a gap behind the last defender and goes for it, but he is a fraction too early. The linesman has it all the way and the flag goes up. Good call, and Messi just shrugs and jogs back.

Rodrigo de Paul finds a pocket of space just outside the box and decides to have a go. He gets plenty of power on it, not much else, and the ball sails high over the crossbar. The Benin keeper does not even have to move.

Nicolas Otamendi pops up on the edge of the box and tries to be creative, lofting a lovely little pass to set up a teammate in behind. It is a fine idea, but a Benin defender reads it well and gets a touch before anyone in blue and white can profit.

Benin settle into a spell of possession, sharing the ball around at a patient pace and waiting for Argentina to leave a gap. There is no real urgency yet, but they are comfortable on it and the hosts have to stay switched on.

Here he goes, Messi spots the cross coming and sprints into the box, and you can feel the whole ground lean forward. He gets his shot away, it is heading for the corner, and for one glorious second everyone thinks it is in. It whistles a whisker past the left post.

Honestly, the groan from the stands says it all.

Hassane Imourane goes in hard on the ball and Fernando Vejar has no hesitation, whistle to the lips, free kick Argentina.

Messi stands over it and the whole stadium hushes, but the delivery is poor and a Benin defender heads it away without breaking stride. Not the one, Leo.

Nicolas Tagliafico arrives late and heavy on the challenge, and Fernando Vejar does not need a second look before the whistle goes. Foul given, Benin get a free kick, and Tagliafico is left to hold his hands up and wonder what he was thinking. Not exactly a neighbourly tackle, that one.

Lautaro Martinez gets a yard on the wing and swings a cross into the box, and the blue and white shirts all lean in hoping for a touch. Nobody gets there. A Benin defender stretches, gets his boot to it and clears the danger. Argentina will have to go again.

Julian Alvarez picks up the ball out wide and whips a cross into the area with plenty of pace on it, but there is nobody in a blue and white shirt ready to attack it. It skips through the box and Benin are happy to see it go.

The fourth official raises the board and it reads one minute of added time. Not much room to play with, so if Argentina want to send Messi into the break with something to cheer, they will have to hurry.

Fernando Vejar draws the first half to a close and it is goalless at the interval. Messi has been the busiest man in blue and white, getting a couple of sights of goal, but Benin have defended with real discipline and never let this get away from them.

Plenty still to play for, and a farewell script that is yet to be written. Stay with us.

The players have headed down the tunnel, but the match is not done with us yet. Los Fundamentalistas are performing live at the interval, and the stadium is singing along to a soundtrack fit for Messi's last chapter in an Argentina shirt.

Whether it is night where you are or a bright day here in India, take a breather, enjoy the music, and get ready for the second half.

The players stride back out of the tunnel and the stadium is buzzing all over again. Same score, same stage, and 45 minutes left for Messi to find the ending he is looking for. Here we go.

Messi stands over the corner and curls in a teasing delivery, and the ball drops into the space where Nicolas Otamendi is lurking. He does not need a second look, firing a precise close-range shot that nestles right under the crossbar. Argentina lead 1-0, the stadium erupts, and Leo has an assist on his farewell night. You could not have written it better.

Lionel Scaloni makes the first change of the night and it is the goalscorer who makes way. Nicolas Otamendi trudges off to applause from the stands after doing his job at the back post, and Facundo Medina comes on to take his place. Argentina lead 1-0, and Medina has the job of protecting it.

Mohamed Tijani leaves Fernando Vejar with no decision to make. The challenge is clumsy, the whistle goes, and out comes the yellow card. Benin have a booking to worry about, and Argentina have a free kick to think about.

Lionel Scaloni goes to his bench again and Rodrigo de Paul makes way. Nico Paz comes on to bring some fresh legs and fresh ideas in midfield, with Argentina still leading 1-0 and the hour mark just passed. Plenty of time left for this one to twist again.

Nico Paz has been on the pitch for all of a minute and he is already celebrating. He latches onto a defence-splitting pass on the edge of the box, takes aim and drills it inside the left post, and the Benin keeper is left rooted to the spot, completely stranded. Argentina lead 2-0, and the stadium is bouncing.

And finallyyyy! Messi wins the battle of wills, stares down Marcel Dandjinou and sends an unstoppable penalty into the top right corner. The keeper has no chance, the stadium erupts, and Leo has his goal on the night we have all been waiting for. Argentina lead 3-0, and the roar is deafening.

Franco Mastantuono gets the ball out wide and whips a cross into the box, hoping to pick out a blue and white shirt. A Benin defender is alert, though, and gets it away before anyone can attack it. La Albiceleste lead 3-0, but they still have an eye out for more.

Matteo Ahlinvi gets his head up and floats a lovely cross into the box, and for a moment Benin sniff a consolation. The Argentina defence is alert, though, and the danger is cleared before anyone in yellow can pounce. Three minutes of normal time left, and La Albiceleste still lead 3-0.

Leonel Flores picks up the ball and goes on a mazy run, skipping past one defender, then another, and suddenly he is one-on-one with the keeper.

He pulls the trigger towards the bottom left corner, but Marcel Dandjinou gets down well and makes a decent save. Flores had the whole stadium on its feet, and the keeper has just kept it at 3-0.

The fourth official holds up the board and it reads three minutes of stoppage time. La Albiceleste lead 3-0 and the result is not in doubt, so these are minutes to soak in.

Every touch from Messi now is one of his last in an Argentina shirt, and the stadium is making sure he hears it.

Benin go to their bench deep into stoppage time and Yohan Roche walks off, with Amiro Amadou coming on to take his place. It is a late change and not much time left to make a mark, but Amadou will be happy to get a few touches. La Albiceleste still lead 3-0, and the clock is running down.

Messi stands over a free kick in stoppage time and the whole stadium holds its breath. He picks his spot and curls a superb strike towards goal, and for a heartbeat it looks like it might dip in.

It flies just over the crossbar. The crowd groans, then applauds anyway, because it was a beauty from Leo.

That is it, the final whistle goes and La Albiceleste have won 3-0. Messi is swarmed by his teammates the moment it sounds, and the referee and the Benin players come over to greet him too, with a couple of selfie requests thrown in.

Leo just keeps walking, taking it all in, one slow look around the stadium at a time. This is the last time he leaves the pitch in an Argentina shirt, and nobody here wants it to end.

Do not go anywhere, because this evening is far from over. The players are still out on the pitch, no one is rushing for the tunnel, and a drone show is lighting up the sky above the stadium right now.

It is a goosebumps sort of sight, and a fitting way to say thank you to Leo.

The stadium goes quiet as the 39-year-old picks up the microphone after his final international appearance, and he starts with family.

"My dad is the first person I think about tonight. I can only thank you all. It has been a huge pride to defend this shirt for over 20 years. We never stopped fighting, never stopped giving everything. Playing for Argentina is the most beautiful thing," he said.

He pauses to take in the roar from the crowd, then turns to the World Cup.

"We were close to winning the World Cup again. We gave everything at the World Cup. The game against England was huge for us. We fought with all of our power. We fought all of our lives. Have no doubt that we always gave everything for this shirt," he said.

Then come the thank-yous for his teammates and the fans.

"I want to thank all of my teammates. You made all of my dreams come true. The World Cup, the Copa America, the Finalissima. I was surrounded by warriors. I'm going to miss this. I want to thank you all. Wherever I went, the stadium was always packed. It felt like we played at home everywhere," he added.

The applause rolls around the ground again, and nobody is in a hurry to leave.

Messi has one more lap of the ground to take before calling it a night, and he is in no rush. He soaks in the noise, applauds the stands right back, and his family is with him for every step. Then his teammates form a guard of honour and he walks off the pitch for the final time. A beautiful journey, and a beautiful end.

That is all from this blog. We will be back with another live blog soon, so until then, goodbye.