"Giving Argentina fans one last magical night" - Fans in awe of Lionel Messi as he scores brace in last competitive fixture in home country

Fans online have heaped praise on Lionel Messi's brace in his final competitive game in Argentina on Thursday, September 4. The legendary forward scored a brace, helping his side beat Venezuela 3-0.

La Albiceleste hosted Venezuela at Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. It will likely be Lionel Messi's final competitive game in his home country. Their final qualifier is away in Ecuador, and the 2026 World Cup is expected to be his final tournament.

In the match, Messi opened the scoring in the 39th minute with a delightful chip. Lautaro Martinez made it 2-0 in the 76th minute before Messi completed his brace four minutes later with a neat finish.

Fans online have reacted to the Inter Miami forward's heroics, as one X (formerly Twitter) user wrote:

"Messi giving Argentina fans one last magical night."

Some other reactions are as follows:

La Albiceleste will next face Ecuador at Estadio Monumental in Guayaquil on Tuesday, September 9.

Lionel Messi will not feature for Argentina in clash against Ecuador

After the clash against Venezuela, head coach Lionel Scaloni and Lionel Messi confirmed that he won't play against Ecuador. Scaloni said in his post-match press conference (via All About Argentina on X)

"Leo Messi will not play against Ecuador. He’s not going to travel. He has put in a huge effort and deserves well deserved rest and to be with his family."

The eight-time Ballon d'Or also confirmed the news, saying on TNT Sports Argentina:

"I have talked with Scaloni and we decided that I should rest and don't travel against Ecuador. As I just told you, I’m coming off an injury. Even though I’m already fine, we preferred to avoid me traveling and having to play another match.

"I need to rest well and prepare properly for what’s coming. It’s an important challenge where we are aiming for the MLS, which we want to win. That’s the plan, and I hope to be ready. In October, we’ll meet again for another friendly games, so, well, that’s basically it.”

Argentina have already qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and sit atop the CONMEBOL qualifying table. They will be looking to defend their title next year at the Mundial in the US, Canada, and Mexico.

Meanwhile, Lionel Messi has been dealing with injury issues in recent weeks, having skipped some matches for Inter Miami. He has scored 27 goals and provided 11 assists in 34 games across competitions for the Herons this season.

About the author

Aditya has been working as a European football journalist and editor for Sportskeeda for close to 4 years. He boasts a total experience of over 7 years, and always aims to inculcate proper context in his articles, making the most of his prior stints in writing and marketing across a number of different industries over the years. He has also played football at college level for 2 years.

A B.Tech. graduate, Aditya's journey as an ardent football fan began after watching the elegant maestro Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and his infamous headbutt on Marco Materazzi in the final. He has been a fan of Tottenham Hotspur's front foot and creative football since 2008 and connect's with the club's underdog status.

Aditya, who is a Sportskeeda 'Long-form Editor of the Month' award winner, is a big admirer of Luka Modric's elegant and hard-working style of play. His favorite manager is Carlo Ancelotti because the Italian allows his players enough freedom in an age where micromanagement is the established norm.

Aditya feels Jude Bellingham and Jamal Musiala could replicate the Messi-Ronaldo rivalry due to their incredible collective potential. In his free time, he likes to read classical fiction, travel to places, and explore a variety of foods.

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Edited by Aditya Singh