Lionel Messi has been included in Argentina’s squad for a friendly against Benin on October 6, in what is expected to be his final appearance for the national team.
The 39-year-old forward announced his decision to retire from international football in August, bringing an end to a remarkable two-decade career with Argentina.
Messi leaves international duty as a World Cup winner and a two-time Copa America champion, having helped Argentina lift the Copa America in 2021 and 2024 before leading the team to the 2022 FIFA World Cup title in Qatar.
Argentina Football Association president Claudio Tapia confirmed that Messi would be given a farewell in front of the home supporters.
Tapia said the decision was made to honour Messi as the captain and long-standing symbol of Argentina’s national team.
The farewell match against Benin will be played at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, the home ground of River Plate, which has a capacity of about 85,000 spectators.
Tapia has also invited members of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning squad to participate in the ceremony, describing the occasion as a major celebration of Messi’s international career.
Before the Benin match, Argentina are scheduled to face Bolivia in Cordoba on September 30 before playing Burkina Faso in Buenos Aires on October 3.
Messi’s inclusion means he is expected to make his 208th and final appearance for Argentina.
The Inter Miami forward is already the country’s all-time leading goalscorer, with 125 goals for the national team.
His decision to step away from international football came shortly after the death of his father, Jorge Messi. At the time, Messi revealed that he had serious doubts about continuing to play football for much longer.
He described his retirement decision as painful but said he believed the time was right to bring his Argentina career to an end.
Messi remains under contract with Major League Soccer side Inter Miami until the end of the 2028 season.
Meanwhile, Argentina’s upcoming friendlies are also taking place against the backdrop of disciplinary sanctions imposed following incidents surrounding the team’s recent matches.
FIFA previously ordered Argentina to play its next home fixture at 50 per cent stadium capacity after finding breaches of its disciplinary code relating to demonstrations considered unrelated to sporting activities.
The sanctions followed an incident after Argentina’s 2-1 World Cup semi-final victory over England in July, when several players displayed a banner carrying the message, “The Falklands are Argentine.”
The upcoming fixtures are also expected to provide opportunities for players serving suspensions arising from incidents after Argentina’s World Cup final defeat by Spain.
Midfielder Leandro Paredes received a 10-match suspension, while defender Nahuel Molina was handed a seven-game ban. Thiago Almada received a one-match suspension.
For Argentina supporters, the October 6 meeting with Benin is set to mark the end of Messi’s extraordinary international journey, with the captain expected to make his final appearance in the famous blue-and-white shirt.
How did this story make you feel?
Join the conversation
Share a thoughtful response. Submissions may be reviewed before appearing.
