Lionel Messi’s official Argentina farewell breaks global viewing records

Lionel Messi has officially ended his 21-year international career with the Argentina national team at age 39. His farewell appearance in a match against Benin shattered global viewing records, reportedly drawing 3.5 billion viewers within the first ten minutes. This made the match the most viewed sports event in history, surpassing the three billion viewers recorded for the 2022 World Cup final.

The final game concluded an illustrious senior international tenure that spanned more than 200 matches. Messi leaves La Albiceleste as the nation's all-time top scorer and appearance holder after a career highlighted by the 2008 Olympic gold medal, two Copa America titles, and the 2022 FIFA World Cup.