Lionel Messi ended his 20-year career with the Argentina national team on October 7, 2026, leaving behind both a historic legacy on the pitch and a massive commercial footprint that transformed the Argentine Football Association (AFA), detiksport reported.
The farewell match took place at Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, where Argentina defeated Benin 3-0 in front of 85,000 spectators. Messi contributed one goal—scored via a penalty—and provided two assists during what local media dubbed “The Last Tango.”
Card Games and Bluffing Behind the Scenes
Away from the floodlights of Buenos Aires, former Argentina assistant coach Julián Camino offered a rare glimpse into Messi’s competitive nature during a recent interview with TyC Sports. Camino, who served under manager Alejandro Sabella from 2011 to 2014, recalled their card game sessions of truco—a popular South American trick-taking card game.
Camino described Messi as an exceptional bluffer at the table who constantly pushed his opponents. The former assistant coach joked about a lighthearted disparity in their accessories during the matches, noting that while staff members wore modest watches valued at roughly $20, Messi wore a timepiece worth 300 ribu dolar.
When asked to compare Messi’s truco skills with those of late Argentina icon Diego Maradona—with whom Camino also played and card-shared—Camino did not hesitate. He noted that while Maradona and his family members were formidable players at their peak, Messi was undoubtedly the better truco player and an ultimate master of deception.
Commercial Transformation of the Albiceleste
Beyond his on-field achievements—which include leading Argentina to titles at the 2021 Copa America, the 2022 Finalissima, the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and a second Copa America in 2024—Messi’s presence fundamentally altered the financial standing of Argentine soccer.
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According to data cited by Forbes and detailed by detiksport, ticket sales for Messi’s farewell appearance sold out completely despite premium seats reaching 480,000 Pesos (setara Rp 5,6 juta). In 2017, the AFA maintained partnerships with just six corporate sponsors. That portfolio expanded to roughly 100 sponsors, with commercial heads attributing 80 percent of those agreements directly to Messi’s association with the national team.
Sponsorship valuations for the federation climbed to an estimated nilai sponsornya diperkirakan tembus angka 120 juta USD atau setara Rp 2 triliun. Concurrently, match bonuses and tournament prize money collected since 2019 reached approximately telah mengumpulkan sekitar 121 juta USD atau setara Rp 2,1 triliun dalam bentuk bonus terkait kompetisi sejak tahun 2019, encompassing payouts from multiple Copa America tournaments and the Qatar World Cup.
Global Tributes and Reactions
Following the Estadio Monumental fixture, Messi published an emotional statement on social media reflecting on his departure from the Albiceleste. Fellow players and long-time rivals offered public tributes, Kompas reported.
Among the responses, a message from Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo on Instagram accumulated more than 6 million likes, making it one of the most-liked comments in platform history. Ronaldo praised Messi’s longevity and historical impact, writing that the Argentina forward earned his absolute respect across two decades of international competition.
Inter Miami forward Luis Suarez also discussed Messi’s national team exit in remarks reported by Yahoo Noticias and bsinews.id. Suarez noted that Messi’s visible sadness over leaving the Albiceleste was balanced by profound pride in having given everything for his country.
Transitioning to a New Era Without La Pulga
With Messi retired from international duty at age 39, AFA commercial director Leandro Petersen acknowledged that the governing body faces a distinct challenge in sustaining its commercial momentum without its primary brand accelerator. Head coach Lionel Scaloni must now pivot toward building a collective tactical framework that no longer relies on a single central figure, Suarabaru.id reported.
Defender Cristian Romero wore the captain’s armband as Argentina opened its post-Messi schedule with a series of fixtures, beginning with a 4-0 defeat of Bolivia on September 30, a 7-0 victory over Burkina Faso on October 3, and concluding with the 3-0 win against Benin.
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