Argentina hosted Zambia at "La Bombonera" on Monday morning (01/04), prevailing with an impressive 5-0, thanks to Lionel Messi's one-man show in the first half of the match, in what could be his last game with the Albiceleste shirt in his homeland.
The iconic captain, who was visibly emotional throughout the game, scored goals, provided assists, and also reached a historic milestone.
More specifically, the 38-year-old forward has found the net against 40 different national teams, thus confirming his international legacy once again.
In terms of the game, the first "hit" came from Julián Álvarez, who, in just the 4th minute, converted Messi's pass into an assist.
Just before halftime, the "pulga" doubled the lead with a successful finish, confirming his role as the star of the night.
In the second half, Argentina won a penalty, and the captain gave it to Nicolás Otamendi, who converted it into a goal in what was his farewell on Argentine soil.
We remind you that recently, the Benfica defender also confirmed that the 2026 World Cup will be his farewell tournament with the Argentine national team, so today was the last match of his career wearing the Albiceleste jersey on home soil.
That's why Messi conceded the penalty to him, so that the veteran defender could bid farewell to the crowd who adored him, by scoring a goal.
The match also served as an opportunity for coach Lionel Scaloni to test different options, with players such as Valentín Barco, Nico Paz, and Máximo Perrone gaining valuable playing time.
An own goal and a goal from Barco just before the end of the match "sealed" the result, in a game that turned into a monologue early on.