Buenos Aires (Argentina) (AFP) - Lionel Messi described his retirement from international football as the “saddest day of my career” on Tuesday after playing his final game for Argentina in a 3-0 defeat of Benin.

Messi, who scored a goal and provided two assists in the victory at the Monumental Stadium, took to the field after the win to express gratitude to fans and teammates as he reflected on his 21-year career with Argentina.

“It was a huge source of pride for me to defend this jersey for more than 20 years,” Messi told the 80,000-plus spectators in the stadium.

“Even in the worst moments we went through and that I had, I never stopped fighting, never stopped being here,” added the 39-year-old.

“Not coming anymore is going to be deeply painful. I swear I’d like to play for the rest of my life, because playing for the Argentina national team is the most beautiful thing that can happen to you.”

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni, who was at the helm as Messi finally achieved his dream of winning football’s biggest prize the World Cup in 2022, said there would never be another player of his ability.

“He is unique,” said Scaloni, whose played alongside Messi for a year in the national team.

“I have never seen such a set of skills in any other player in all my life.”

An emotional Scaloni, who cried during the national anthem, said to have been given the opportunity to coach a team with Messi in it was beyond his wildest dreams.

“I owe him a debt of eternal gratitude, for everything he gave to us,” said the 48-year-old.

“I told him in front of everybody, with the little energy that I still had: never in my life did I imagine I would coach the best footballer in history.”

- ‘Unbelievable legacy’ -

Messi said that returning to the Monumental – where Argentina played their first game after winning the 2022 World Cup – was bittersweet.

“Now I’m here on the saddest day of my career, which is the day I have to say goodbye to the national team, goodbye to all of you.

“But now I’ll be on that side (with the fans), supporting all the boys, everyone who comes in. Always united,” he said.

Messi though said that despite the sadness, he had no regrets about the timing of his international exit, citing the exertions of Argentina’s campaign at this year’s World Cup, where the South Americans battled through to the final only to lose to Spain.

Messi said the emotional roller coaster of that tournament – which included a 2-1 defeat of bitter rivals England in the semi-final – had taken a toll.

He was also to suffer a bodyblow in August when his father and agent Jorge died.

“Even though I want to be here all my life, I feel that this is the moment. The last World Cup was too much, everything I had to live through,” said Messi.

“We had the dream of fulfilling my dream and the dream of the whole country, of becoming world champions again.

“In the last World Cup we were very close, and the reality is that nothing strange happened, as people say. The match against England took a huge toll on us physically, and emotionally it was very big.

“We arrived with just enough, we fought like we always did with this jersey, with all the teammates I got to be with and share things with, not only them but also those who were around in the time when we managed to win. We were very close.”

Scaloni said Messi left an “unbelievable legacy” but he as coach must now focus on life without team’s talisman.

“The only way to make up for his leaving is to have a great team which means everyone brings something to contribute to the building of it.”