Lionel Messi set to leave Argentina with five records that may stand for years

Lionel Messi will play his final match for Argentina against Benin in Buenos Aires, bringing an end to one of the defining careers in the history of the national team.

The 39-year-old is set to make his 208th international appearance for the Albiceleste and will have the opportunity to add to his Argentina record of 125 goals. After the match, the national team will begin considering life without its iconic number 10, whose influence has left an enduring mark on Argentine football.

TyC Sports reports that Messi will depart with five international records that are likely to remain beyond reach for years, unless another player emerges to match his achievements.

Goals and appearances

Messi’s 125 goals for Argentina – a tally that could increase against Benin – make him the country’s leading scorer by a considerable margin. The closest among Argentina’s current players is Lautaro Martinez, who has scored 42 international goals.

His appearance record is equally dominant. Messi currently has 207 matches for Argentina and is expected to reach 208 in his final game. Javier Mascherano, with 147 caps, and Angel Di Maria, with 145, are the next players on the list, although both have retired from international football.

Messi also holds Argentina’s record for World Cup appearances, having played 34 matches in the competition.

He is the national team’s leading World Cup scorer as well, with 21 goals. That record forms part of a wider tournament legacy built across his international career.

World Cup qualifying record

Messi’s fifth record is shared with Uruguay forward Luis Suarez. The pair have scored 31 goals each in South American World Cup qualifying, the highest total recorded in the region.

Their nearest challengers include Marcelo Moreno Martins, who scored 22 goals, and Hernan Crespo, with 19. Alexis Sanchez has 20 goals in the competition, while Edinson Cavani has 17.

Moreno Martins, Crespo, Sanchez and Cavani no longer represent their national teams, leaving Messi and Suarez at the top of the South American qualifying scoring chart.

Messi’s final Argentina appearance will therefore mark more than the close of his international career. It will also leave behind a collection of records spanning goals, appearances and World Cup achievements that may prove exceptionally difficult to surpass.