Lionel Messi Ends Argentina Career With Goal and Two Assists in Farewell
Lionel Messi has ended his Argentina career after an emotional farewell on October 6, signing off with a goal and two assists to take his final international totals to 208 appearances and 126 goals.
Key MLS figures
| Item | Figure | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Antoine Griezmann | 13 goals in 18 games | Orlando City, all competitions |
| Griezmann contract | Until 2028 | Includes a one-year extension option |
| Messi MLS goals | 25 | Leads the Golden Boot race |
| Messi Argentina record | 208 caps, 126 goals | Retired from international football on October 6 |
Messi, 39, remains under contract in Florida through 2028 and is still driving Inter Miami’s push for MLS Cup as the play-offs approach. His 25 league goals have also put him in position to challenge for a third consecutive MVP award.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner continued to perform despite the recent death of his father, with former France defender Gilles Grimandi praising both Messi’s appetite for success and his ability to remain decisive at an elite level. Grimandi said Messi’s final Argentina appearance gave football the opportunity to recognise a player whose standards have remained extraordinary.
Messi’s MLS rivalry with Antoine Griezmann is set to run for several more seasons. The France international joined Orlando City in the summer of 2026 after ending a European career that included two spells with Atletico Madrid and a period at Barcelona, where he shared a dressing room with Messi.
Griezmann arrived in the United States as a 2018 World Cup winner with 137 France caps and has made an immediate impact for Orlando, scoring 13 times in 18 appearances across all competitions. His deal runs to 2028, with the club holding an option to extend it by another year.
Griezmann backed to keep going
Grimandi believes the Orlando forward has plenty left despite approaching his 36th birthday in March 2027. He pointed to Griezmann’s latest display, in which he scored twice and supplied an assist, as further evidence that the Frenchman remains a major influence.
“He may have lost some physical capacity, but his intelligence and technical quality are still at the top level,” Grimandi said. “He takes care of himself, has endurance and can keep playing for a long time because of the way he understands the game.”
Grimandi expects Griezmann, part of the 1991 generation, to have another two or three years available if he wants to continue. The former Monaco and Arsenal player, who joined Colorado Rapids in 2003 but did not make a competitive appearance for the club, believes his countryman can comfortably see out the Orlando agreement.
What happens next: Inter Miami and Orlando City are both targeting MLS Cup success in 2026, with Messi and Griezmann likely to meet regularly while their contracts keep them in Florida.
