Messi's involvement set the chronology of the highlights. He first worked as the creator for Argentina's opening two goals, then moved onto the scoresheet himself. That sequence left him directly involved in every Argentina goal and gave the summary a clear central figure.
Beyond the match stats, Messi's international record stood at 208 senior caps and 126 Argentina goals, both records. Those figures added weight to a landmark international appearance, with his goal providing the closing highlight after the two earlier assists.
For Argentina, the decisive numbers were three goals scored and zero conceded. For Benin, the score remained at zero by the end of the friendly. The result, the highlights and Messi's goal-and-two-assist return all point to the same summary: Argentina won 3-0, and Messi shaped the entire scoreline.