Lionel Messi's farewell: A look at the 39-year-old's greatest goals for Argentina

By Matt Law | 05 Oct 2026 15:44, Last updated: 05 Oct 2026 15:46

Lionel Messi is preparing to play his last crippled for Argentina, with the 39-year-old acceptable to bring down the curtain connected his planetary vocation connected Tuesday.

The attacker volition pb Argentina retired against Benin successful Buenos Aires, and it is definite to beryllium an affectional evening for 1 of the top players of each time.

Messi has won 1 World Cup and 2 Copa Americas with Argentina, boasting a grounds of 125 goals successful 207 appearances for the nationalist side.

Here, Sports Mole ranks Messi's greatest-ever goals for La Albiceleste.

10. Lionel Messi extremity vs. Paraguay (September 2012) | 2014 World Cup Qualification

The archetypal of a fewer escaped kicks connected this list, Messi's effort against Paraguay successful September 2012 places 10th, and it beats a fig of fantabulous strikes to marque the last selection.

It was a fabulous onslaught from region which curled distant from the goalkeeper and managed to find the backmost of the nett disconnected the wrong of the post.

9. Lionel Messi extremity vs. Chile (October 2012) | 2014 World Cup Qualification

Another iconic Messi infinitesimal came against Chile successful October 2012, arsenic the Argentine collected a walk down the Chilean defence earlier settling and past uncovering the backmost of the net.

It was his calmness nether unit that was the astir awesome facet of the goal.

8. Lionel Messi extremity vs. Bolivia (September 2021) | 2022 World Cup Qualification

Messi's prime was connected afloat show against Bolivia successful a World Cup qualification fixture successful September 2021, with the attacker putting the shot done the legs of a defender earlier curling the shot into the backmost of the nett - helium made it look to simple. It wasn't.

7. Lionel Messi extremity vs. Colombia (November 2007) | 2010 World Cup Qualification

Messi showed his people with a superb extremity against Colombia successful a World Cup qualification fixture backmost successful November 2007.

The attacker shifted the shot distant from the Colombian defenders earlier finishing from a wide angle, and it volition everlastingly beryllium remembered arsenic 1 of his champion goals for the nationalist team.

6. Lionel Messi extremity vs. Colombia (November 2016) | 2018 World Cup Qualification

Messi's wand of a near ft was besides successful show against Colombia successful November 2016, arsenic his escaped footwear from region deed the crossbar earlier bouncing into the backmost of the net.

Who else?

5. Lionel Messi extremity vs. Mexico (November 2022) | 2022 World Cup

One of 2 goals against Mexico connected this list, Messi's onslaught successful the 2022 World Cup had to beryllium included.

The attacker made it look to simple, controlling the shot extracurricular the punishment container earlier sweeping the shot into the bottommost country of the nett - it was inch-perfect, arsenic is often the case.

4. Lionel Messi extremity vs. Mexico (July 2007) | 2007 Copa America

One of Messi's genuinely iconic moments successful an Argentina garment came successful the Copa America backmost successful 2007, erstwhile his delicious spot ended up successful the backmost of the net.

Messi had nary close to people from specified an angle, but helium lifted the shot implicit the goalkeeper with the astir cleanable of executions to stun the coaching unit and his teammates.

3. Lionel Messi extremity vs. USA (June 2016) | 2016 Copa America

Messi's peculiar escaped footwear against USA successful the 2016 Copa America besides places precocious connected this database - it was simply a cleanable effort from the forward, who became Argentina's all-time starring goalscorer with his arrowing effort into the apical country of the net.

2. Lionel Messi extremity vs. Iran (June 2014) | 2014 World Cup

Messi's 88th planetary extremity was a peculiar one, with the attacker picking up the shot successful a wide country earlier cutting onto his near ft and curling 1 into the acold country of the net.

It was different peculiar effort from the world-class forward.

1. Lionel Messi extremity vs. Brazil (June 2012) | International friendly

Top of the database is simply a existent stunner, and the information that it came against Brazil surely gives it much weight, albeit successful an planetary friendly. Messi collected the shot down the close earlier moving his mode towards the borderline of the punishment container and past firing 1 into the apical corner.

It was a genuinely fantastic effort from the superstar.