Lionel Messi will wear the Argentina shirt one final time. The Argentine Football Association confirmed on September 15 that Messi has accepted an invitation to play in a farewell friendly against Benin on October 6 at Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires. The Messi Argentina farewell will mark his 208th and final appearance for La Albiceleste, capping a 21-year international career that included the 2022 World Cup title and a runner-up finish at the 2026 edition.
Messi announced his retirement from international football on August 31, stating he had “given it my all” and had “nothing left to give”. AFA president Claudio Tapia said the federation decided 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”. Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning squad and their families have also been invited to attend the match, which Tapia called an “unforgettable” occasion.
The farewell caps Argentina’s three-game friendly schedule, which begins against Bolivia in Córdoba on September 30 and continues against Burkina Faso at the Monumental on October 3. Rodrigo De Paul and Giovani Lo Celso will also join Messi specifically for the October 6 match against Benin . The match will be played under a FIFA sanction restricting stadium capacity to 50% following disciplinary breaches during the World Cup final.
