Our favorite Lionel Messi moments for Argentina: Sporting News picks the best and most iconic

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Widely considered the greatest player in the history of the game, Lionel Messi will bring a celebratory conclusion to his Argentina career on Tuesday when he plays his final international game for Argentina against Benin in Buenos Aires.

The 39-year-old has won just about everything there is to win in international football. It took him until he was 34 years old to win his first major international trophy, he finishes with one FIFA World Cup crown, two Copa America titles, and one Finalissima with the Albiceleste.

Messi's time with the Argentina national team clearly meant everything to him, but it also meant a lot to the fans, both inside his home country and those around the world who got to experience and appreciate the iconic forward's greatness.

The Sporting News staff shares some of its favorite Messi moments with the Argentina national team as his international career comes to a glorious and remarkable end.

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The best Lionel Messi moments with Argentina

Winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup title

Had the greatest player of his generation finished his international career without winning the biggest prize in the game it would have been beyond a tragedy. Seeing him captaining his country to the World Cup was one of those era-defining moments that we can say we were lucky enough to have lived through - and seen unfold in real-time.

- Pete Marshall, Managing Editor

"The Battle of Lusail" vs. Netherlands at the 2022 FIFA World Cup

My favourite Messi moment does not have to do with a goal, a dribbling or even a trophy. It is the immediately iconic "¿Qué mirás, bobo?" ("What you looking at, idiot?") that he shot in Wout Weghorst's direction after the "Battle of Lusail" against the Netherlands.

For a country that was used to — and still very much in love with — the "Maradonian" way of facing adversity and appearing in big moments, this was the most "Maradona-esque" moment he ever had. We absolutely knew that Leo had the football, the talent, the magical touch, but that day he proved his soul was also on fire. He was ready to leave it all for his — and our — dream of winning the World Cup. How that story ended...well, we all know that.

- Mauricio Codocea, Senior Editor (Argentina edition)

Winning the 2021 CONMEBOL Copa America title

For over a decade to begin his international career, Lionel Messi was a goat — not the kind we know him as now, the one that's capitalized, which stands for "greatest of all-time." Instead, he was a scapegoat, the center of blame for why Argentina couldn't win a major international trophy.

Once in the World Cup and three times in the Copa America, Messi reached a major international final and fell short. It almost became his legacy — the lovable loser.

Then, Angel Di Maria scored in the 22nd minute of the 2021 Copa America final against Brazil, and everything changed. Nothing Lionel Messi accomplished with Argentina would have been possible without the 2021 Copa America title. Messi, who finished tied for the lead with Luis Diaz as the tournament's top goal scorer, broke down in tears after that game, a lifetime of pressure washed away after a single 90 minutes.

If they had lost that game, Messi's career almost surely would have looked a lot different once he decided to hang up his boots.

- Kyle Bonn, Senior Content Producer

Hat-trick vs. Ecuador, 2018 World Cup qualifying

These aren't the best three goals Messi has ever scored. They're also not the most important, as no trophy was on the line. But in the context of his international career, they might be the most broadly significant.

In the final round of CONMEBOL preliminaries, Argentina needed a result against Ecuador even to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. They fell 1-0 down in Quito inside the first minute. A year after retiring from the national team because he just couldn't take any more disappointment, it looked like Messi, persuaded back into the Albiceleste fold, would suffer another crushing blow.

He then single-handedly ensured that would not be the case. Three goals, each excellent in its own way — a swift pass-and-move for a low finish, a blasted effort after winning a 50-50, an edge-of-the-box strike from one of those trademark disorientating runs — gave Argentina the win and a place at the tournament.

OK, their World Cup campaign in Russia was a bit of a disaster, and Messi's first major international trophy was still four years away. But this game proved how important he remained to his national team, and how much he still wanted to win for them. The glorious years that followed, the tournaments that defined much of his legacy, can be traced back to this moment.

- Joe Wright, Senior Editor (UK edition)

Goal vs. Nigeria, 2018 FIFA World Cup group stage

I've been lucky enough to see Lionel Messi in the flesh a small handful of times, but I only saw him once in Argentina colours, possibly with La Albiceleste at their most wild and unhinged in recent history.

Messi turned 31 during the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Argentina had only qualified because he scored the sort of hat-trick no one else could realistically fathom in a 3-1 win away to Ecuador at altitude. The great man was 31, approaching the last World Cup of his prime — or so we thought at the time.

They started off with a 1-1 draw against minnows Iceland, Messi having a penalty saved (he never really was much good at them). Next, Croatia hammered a bedraggled Argentina 3-0, and thus they arrived in St Petersburg to face Nigeria in a state of reported mutiny, their hopes of making it out of the group stage hanging by a thread.

Not that this was apparent when you came upon the sea of sky blue and white hordes who took over the grand old city, chanting their hero's name along with that of Diego Maradona in their chosen terrace anthem. In the 14th minute at Krestovsky Stadium, everyone got what they'd come to see.

It was a goal made and executed in Rosario. Ever Banega, the mercurial playmaker, fizzed a delicious pass just over the Nigeria defence. Messi still had so much to do and did it immaculately. He only needed three touches. Left thigh to bring the ball down, left foot to take it away from the pursuing defenders, and his weaker right foot to spear an unerring finish into the net. Then there was the noise. Not so much a cheer as a whoosh, like a jet engine firing up. Maradona, in the stands and in a state of sustained, ahem, enthusiasm all night, went absolutely berserk.

Nigeria equalised and should have won it, before Marcos Rojo did in scenes of mayhem at the death. Argentina were doomed anyway and got taken apart by eventual winners France in the Round of 16. But Messi had given the tournament that still eluded him a perfect moment. That goal against Nigeria demonstrated how no one else has ever been able to caress a soccer ball and tell it exactly how to behave quite like him. It sounds childishly simplistic, but part of the reason he's the best to ever do it is that no one has ever been better at the sport's fundamental act of controlling and kicking a ball.

- Dom Farrell, Senior Content Producer

Comeback vs. Egypt, 2026 FIFA World Cup

Sat in the Wimbledon media centre surrounded by journalists all supposed to be covering tennis, it was clear as murmurs of Egypt taking a shock two-goal lead against Argentina began to spread around the room, tennis was soon to become an afterthought.

Messi missed a penalty. Messi provided the assist to spark the comeback. Messi lashed home the equaliser. Fernandez scored the late winner and as always, Messi had his way. It all happened so quick. It was just a moment where everyone in that room couldn't take their eyes off what was happening, waiting for the inevitable to happen. Another memorable moment of Messi magic and one that had everyone in disbelief Argentina had pulled off the comeback of all comebacks.

It was just a perfect example of why you never write him off; a player who brings joy to so many watching the beautiful game.

- Dan Gibbs, Senior Editor

Comeback vs. England, 2026 FIFA World Cup

The ball is always a ball, until it isn’t. When sewn upon the foot of an enchanting creative, it’s a moonscape, too. The leatherbound gemstone has rarely shined as bright as it did in the World Cup semifinals when Messi — the most gifted of alchemists to ever dance atop the pitch — shifted to the right-hand side of the pitch in the game’s waning moments. Two assists, four key passes and nine successful dribbles later, the famed Argentine proved that his powers weren’t waning just yet. In the history of the beautiful game, how many 39-year-olds have been able to say that?

- David Suggs, Content Producer

A lifetime of memories

My favorite Lionel Messi assist came off the field. My six-year-old son couldn’t name LeBron, Patrick Mahomes, or any athlete, or so I thought. He came home recently with a solemn look. I asked him what was wrong. “Dad,” he asked me, “Messi or Ronaldo?” I thought about it for a second and told him Messi. His face lit up. “I knew you'd get it right.”

They may not have been alive for all of his his greatest moments, but even first graders are talking about the legend of Messi.

- Steph Noh, Senior Writer

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