Lionel Messi has been named in Argentina’s squad for a friendly match against Benin on October 6, which will mark his farewell appearance after announcing his international retirement last month. This match will be Messi's 208th appearance for the national team, as stated by Claudio Tapia, president of Argentina's football association.
Messi, 39, announced his retirement from international duty in August after a two-decade career that included winning the 2022 World Cup and Copa America titles in 2021 and 2024. Tapia emphasized the significance of the match, saying, "We made the decision to invite the best player in the world, the symbol of our national team, our captain, Lionel Andres Messi, so that he can have the farewell he truly deserves on October 6 here in Argentina."
The match will take place at River Plate’s Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, which has a capacity of 85,000 spectators. Tapia has also invited all of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup winners to join Messi for the occasion.
Argentina will begin a series of three friendlies, starting with a match against Bolivia on September 30 in Cordoba, followed by a game against Burkina Faso in Buenos Aires on October 3. Messi is Argentina’s all-time record scorer with 125 goals.
Following the death of his father, Jorge, last month, Messi expressed doubts about continuing his football career, stating, "It was a decision that hurt and still hurts deep in my soul but I understand that it is the right time."
Messi's contract with Major League Soccer club Inter Miami is set to run until the end of the 2028 season. Additionally, FIFA has ordered Argentina to play their next home match with a reduced capacity of 50 percent due to breaches of its disciplinary code related to non-sporting demonstrations during a previous match. The friendlies are also expected to address suspensions given to players following incidents after Argentina’s World Cup final defeat by Spain, including a 10-match ban for midfielder Leandro Paredes and suspensions for defender Nahuel Molina and Thiago Almada.