Footballer Lionel Messi receives a gift from the Benin national team — Interia Sport

Before Argentina’s friendly match against Benin in Buenos Aires, the captain of the African national team, Cessi D’Almeida, presented Lionel Messi with a carved statuette and a commemorative letter. As Interia Sport reports, the match took place on October 7.

A gift before the game

The gift was handed to Messi immediately after the teams’ greeting. The match at the stadium in Buenos Aires was attended by around 85,000 spectators.

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The report notes that the game became Messi’s last as part of Argentina’s national team. The outlet also writes that the footballer announced his departure from the national team after this year’s World Cup.

Messi’s national team statistics

Messi made his debut for the national team on August 17, 2005, and, according to the outlet, played 208 matches for it. During his appearances for Argentina, he scored 126 goals and provided 69 assists. Interia Sport also recalls that the footballer won eight Ballon d’Or awards, individual football honors.