Lionel Messi has completed football and can bid Argentina farewell with pride

Messi says goodbye with 208 caps and a World Cup but there were times he thought his glory would never come By Opta Analyst Not for the first time, Lionel Messi is returning to the Argentina national team. This occasion, however, will be accompanied by a sense of completion and celebration rather than obligation, as the country bids farewell to probably the greatest footballer ever. Messi will wear the Argentina shirt one last time this week for a friendly in Buenos Aires against Benin after he was invited back for a celebratory runout following his decision to retire from international football after the World Cup final. He has retired before. In 2016, having suffered heartbreak in a major international final for the third year in a row, Messi was seemingly done. “This is tough and a difficult time,” he said after the Copa América Centenario final defeat to Chile. “The