Lionel Messi’s final match for Argentina was marked by a poignant emotional send-off, yet faced immediate backlash following a viral selfie snub and the reappearance of an inflammatory political banner.
The scene in Buenos Aires was designed as a perfect, tear-soaked bookend to a legendary career. As 39-year-old Lionel Messi stood on the pitch for his final international appearance—a friendly against Benin—the weight of the moment was palpable. The crowd. his family. and his teammates were visibly moved as he prepared to bid farewell to the national team that defined his life in sport. Yet, the night intended for celebration instead unraveled under the glare of social media scrutiny and geopolitical tension.
Cameras captured a moment during the post-match festivities that quickly went viral: a Benin player attempting to capture a selfie with the departing icon. As the player reached out and looped an arm around Messi, the Argentine legend appeared to bypass him entirely. The Benin player persisted. tracking Messi across the pitch until his own teammate. Amiro Amadou. eventually stepped in to urge him to desist. The clip triggered a wave of sharp criticism online. with observers labeling the interaction a “shame” and accusing the superstar of treating a peer with disdain during a moment that would have taken mere seconds.
While some fans defended the 39-year-old as being understandably overwhelmed by his final emotional address. the incident provided a jarring counterpoint to the night’s tributes. Messi. reflecting on the death of his father. Jorge. told the crowd. “This may be the saddest day of my career. leaving the national team. I don’t want to leave the field. I love all of you, and I will miss all of you. I am proud to be Argentinian.”.
The atmosphere turned more volatile when a familiar point of contention resurfaced. Fabio Santana. a veteran of the Falklands War and the singer of the Argentine national anthem. stood alongside Messi while draped in a controversial banner claiming sovereignty over the Falkland Islands—the same “Malvinas” flag that previously resulted in a £237. 000 fine for the Argentine football federation. The banner, originally a bedsheet, had been smuggled into the stadium. Following the match. a member of the national team confirmed on social media that the flag was transported back to the team hotel. ensuring the controversy persisted long after the final whistle.
The display served as a sharp reminder of the friction that defined the national team’s recent World Cup run. When the banner first appeared after the semi-final victory over England. it sparked a fierce backlash. with UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade Peter Kyle condemning the act as “entirely inappropriate” and contrasting the Argentine team’s behavior with England’s dignity. With tensions already inflamed by ministers and journalists reasserting territorial claims. the reappearance of the flag during such a high-profile send-off guaranteed that the focus would shift from the player’s retirement to the lingering political shadows that followed him off the field.
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