More than 21 years after his debut, Lionel Messi will play his final game for Argentina. Adidas marks the farewell with a full collection – and swaps its Performance logo for Messi’s personal signature logo.
17 August 2005. An 18-year-old Lionel Messi makes his debut for Argentina’s senior national team against Hungary, coming off the bench in the second half. Just 47 seconds later, he is shown a red card. After the dismissal, Messi sits in the dressing room in tears. His first international is over almost before it has begun.
It takes Messi almost 16 years to win a major title with the senior side. Messi loses the 2014 World Cup final to Germany with Argentina, then the 2015 and 2016 Copa América finals to Chile. After the second final defeat to Chile, he announces his retirement from the national team.
Sixty-six days later, Messi is back.
Another five years pass before Messi wins the Copa América with Argentina in 2021. In Qatar in 2022 comes the one title still missing from his international career: Argentina beat France on penalties in the World Cup final. Two years later, he wins the Copa América with Argentina again.
At his sixth and final World Cup in the summer of 2026, Messi once again plays a decisive role. With eight goals and four assists, he leads Argentina to the final and wins the Silver Boot as the tournament’s second-highest scorer behind Kylian Mbappé (ten goals).
A second World Cup title, though, never comes. In the final in New York/New Jersey, Argentina lose 1-0 to Spain after extra time. It is Messi’s 34th and final World Cup appearance – more than any other player in the tournament’s history. His World Cup career ends with 21 goals.
Just a few weeks later, on 31 August, Messi announces his retirement from the national team. On 6 October, he plays his last game for Argentina against Benin at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.
For the farewell, adidas has designed a dedicated shirt and released it as part of the “Argentina Messi Special Edition Collection”. Alongside the match kit, the collection includes pre-match wear and lifestyle pieces, and is available online from adidas.
The adidas Logo Makes Way for Messi’s Signature
The standout detail is the branding. Across the collection, Messi’s personal signature logo replaces the adidas Performance logo. On the farewell shirt, it takes the Performance logo’s place on the chest.
Adidas itself points to its special partnership with the Argentine.
The design takes its cue from the Argentine flag. The traditional sky blue and white are paired with gold. A reinterpretation of the Sol de Mayo, the sun on the flag, spans the front and back. Added to that is a detail that pairs Messi’s number 10 with laurel branches and the Sol de Mayo.
adidas Had Already Marked the World Cup With “El Último Tango”
Adidas had already marked Messi’s final World Cup with a collection of its own. Ahead of the 2026 tournament, the brand released “El Último Tango”, looking back on Messi’s history with the brand along the way.
The F50.6 TUNIT from Messi’s early adidas years provided the reference for a new interpretation of the boot. A shirt drew on the Argentina home shirts from Messi’s six World Cups. More apparel and accessories completed the drop.
On 6 October, Messi wears the special-edition shirt against Benin – more than 21 years after that debut against Hungary, which was over for him after just 47 seconds.
