Prestianni surrenders to Messi on his farewell: “I have been and I am privileged...”

Gianluca Prestianni was one of the 'luxuries guests' of Lionel Messi's farewell, which represented for the last time the argentina selection on Tuesday night, against Benin (3-0), in a particular game. The extreme of Benfica did not leave the bench of alternates, but said it was a “privileged” for being present on such a special night: La Pulga’s farewell to the albiceleste selection. 

“ Another very special night for me, which will be marked for the rest of my life. I was and am privileged to have shared the selection with the best player in the world and history,” Prestianni wrote on social network Instagram. 

“ Thank you for everything you have given us, Argentines, and for teaching us never to give up and that, with work and effort, everything is possible. We’ll miss you for the rest of your life, idol”, the 20-year-old player, who also shared the moment when he gave Messi a hug. 

The farewell of a legend

Tuesday night stopped Argentina, which had eyes on the Monumental Stadium, a place chosen to be the stage of the final Messi game with the selection sweater. 

The legendary 10 doesn't disappoint. Faced with Benin's hard-working players, Messi watched Nicolás Otamendi's goals, who also quit at 48 minutes and Nico Paz at 61 minutes.

At 71′ happened the high moment of the night. Great penalty marked and Messi, as he did so many times over 21 years, did not waste, pointing out the one that would become the 126th and last goal for Argentina. 

In the end, there was a tribute to a drone show, which still has a more controversial aspect. Messi also wanted to speak on the lawn and thanked him for his affection for a long cycle, while reminding his late father and thanked his teammates who helped him win the desired world title in 2022 at Qatar.  

“Stop coming here will be a great pain. I swear to you that I would like to keep coming for the rest of my life, because playing for the Argentine team is the most beautiful thing that can happen to us ", said Messi. 

“ I feel like it's time. In the last World Cup, all I had to live for was too much. We had the dream of being world champions again, we were very close,” he said. 

Prestianni gets points with Scaloni? 

If Messi closes the cycle in Argentina, Prestianni is in the opposite pole, seeking to win a place, in fact, in the selection commanded by Lionel Scaloni. 

Benfica's player was bet, the holder in the private games against Bolivia (4-0) and Burkina Faso (7-0), and it was in the second clash that hit the spot, scoring a goal at 12 minutes and watching Nico Paz for another at 35 minutes. 

Prestianni thus increased to three internationalizations by Argentina, after making the debut less than a year earlier, in November 2025.