Video: tears and celebration: the magic of the number makes the moment on Messi's night

Lionel Messi stole the spotlight during Argentina's friendly against Benin in the early hours of Wednesday. The match carried a special character, with the fans delivering emotional and celebratory scenes for the "Tango" legend.

Deeply moved before kick-off, Messi broke down in tears inside the team bus. The sight of the huge reception from supporters and their chants in his honour proved too much for the captain.

He could not hold back the tears during the national anthem either. Messi wept in an emotional scene, and his coach Lionel Scaloni looked just as affected by the special atmosphere surrounding the night.

Supporters chose to mark his career in symbolic fashion. Play stopped in the tenth minute, a nod to the number 10 shirt Messi wore throughout his career, as the chants rose in the stands for the national team captain.

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That number 10 ran through the entire scene. It remains the defining emblem of Messi's time with Argentina, a spell packed with feats and titles, chief among them the 2022 World Cup and the Copa América.

The clash with Benin became an exceptional night. Messi's tears mingled with the celebrations of the fans, a scene that captured the standing the veteran enjoys among his countrymen, before the number 10 stole the spotlight once more out on the pitch.