River Plate names Lionel Messi Honorary Member as he bids farewell to Argentina duty

River Plate names Lionel Messi Honorary Member as Argentine icon bids farewell to international football

Buenos Aires, October 7

Messi received a commemorative membership card, a plaque and a special River Plate jersey bearing his name in recognition of his illustrious football career and contribution to the sport.

Messi signed off from international football in fairytale fashion, delivering two assists and scoring a goal as Argentina secured a commanding 3-0 victory over Benin in Buenos Aires on Tuesday night.

"On a historic day and accompanied by the President @stefanocdicarlo, the greatest player of all time received the membership card that distinguishes him as an Honorary Member of the Club, a commemorative plaque, and the Sacred Jersey with his name. Thank you for the football, Captain!" River Plate football club wrote in an X post.

In what was billed as his final appearance for the national team, the Argentine maestro delivered a performance befitting his extraordinary international career, orchestrating Argentina's second-half dominance and giving the home crowd a memorable farewell.

After a goalless first half, Argentina broke the deadlock shortly after the restart, with Messi setting up Nicolas Otamendi in the 48th minute to put the hosts ahead.

Messi was again at the heart of Argentina's attack for the second goal, teeing up Nico Paz, who produced a superb curling finish to double the advantage.

The 39-year-old then completed the scoring from the penalty spot, calmly converting to make it 3-0 and putting the finishing touch on a memorable final appearance.

As the final whistle sounded, Messi embraced his Argentina teammates on the pitch while supporters filled the stadium with chants and applause.

The emotional scenes provided a fitting conclusion to an era in which the forward helped transform Argentina's fortunes on the international stage.

— ANI