Lionel Messi is set to wear the Argentina shirt one final time. The 39-year-old has been named in Argentina’s squad for a friendly against Benin on October 6 in Buenos Aires. The match is expected to serve as his farewell appearance for the national team.
The news came on September 16, 2026, after the Argentina Football Association confirmed that Messi had been invited for the special match. Argentina FA president Claudio Tapia said the team wanted Messi to have the farewell he deserves in front of his home fans.
The match will take place at River Plate’s Estadio Monumental, a famous football venue in Buenos Aires. The stadium can hold around 85,000 people. For Argentina supporters, the night could become a major moment in the country’s football history.
A farewell after a long international career
Messi announced his retirement from international football in August 2026. His decision came after a two-decade career with Argentina. During that time, he became the most capped player in the nation’s history and also its highest scorer.
Messi has 207 appearances for Argentina and 125 goals. If he plays against Benin as planned, the match will be his 208th and final appearance for the national side.
His career with Argentina has had many different chapters. There were difficult defeats, major criticism, important victories and, finally, some of the biggest trophies in international football.
Messi helped Argentina win the Copa America in 2021. He also led the country to the 2022 World Cup title in Qatar. Argentina then won the Copa America again in 2024. These victories gave Messi some of the biggest achievements of his career with the national team.
The 2026 World Cup was his final chapter
Messi also played a major role in Argentina’s run at the 2026 World Cup. Argentina reached the final but lost to Spain. That defeat came before Messi announced his retirement from international football.
During the 2026 World Cup, Messi scored eight goals and made two assists. His performances helped Argentina reach a second straight World Cup final. Although the team did not win the trophy, Messi still finished the tournament with another major chapter in his international career.
After the World Cup, Messi said he had thought deeply about his future. His father, Jorge Messi, had also died shortly before his retirement decision. Messi said the choice was painful but that he felt it was the right time to stop his Argentina career.
Argentina wants to give Messi a special night
The Argentina Football Association does not want the Benin match to feel like a normal friendly. Tapia said Messi is the symbol and captain of the national team and deserves a special farewell.
Argentina also plans to invite members of the 2022 World Cup-winning team and their families. The idea is to bring together many of the players who shared one of the most important moments of Messi’s career.
Tapia described the planned event as an unforgettable occasion. He also called on Argentines to see what he described as the final appearance of the country’s star player.
The choice of the Estadio Monumental also adds importance to the event. With a capacity of about 85,000, the Buenos Aires stadium could provide a huge crowd for Messi’s final match in Argentina colours.
Argentina has three friendlies ahead
The Benin game is part of a three-match friendly schedule for Argentina. The team will first face Bolivia on September 30 at the Mario Kempes Stadium in Córdoba.
Argentina will then play Burkina Faso in Buenos Aires on October 3. The third match will be against Benin on October 6 at the Estadio Monumental. Messi is set to take part in the Benin match, along with Rodrigo De Paul and Giovani Lo Celso.
The games will be Argentina’s first matches since the 2026 World Cup final. The team will also use this period to begin life after Messi’s international retirement.
Messi leaves a huge record behind
Messi’s numbers with Argentina show the scale of his career. He has scored 125 goals in 207 international matches. No other Argentine player has scored more goals or played more matches for the national team.
His international career began in 2005. Over more than 20 years, he played at several World Cups and Copa America tournaments. He also became the face of Argentina football for a generation of supporters.
His path was not always easy. Messi once announced his international retirement after Argentina lost the 2016 Copa America final to Chile. He later changed his decision and returned to the national team.
That return led to the most successful period of his Argentina career. He won the 2021 Copa America, the 2022 World Cup and the 2024 Copa America. He then helped Argentina reach the 2026 World Cup final.
What comes after Argentina?
Messi’s retirement applies to international football. His club career is still set to continue.
Messi currently plays for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer. His contract with the club runs until the end of the 2028 season.
That means the October 6 match will not mark the end of Messi’s football career. It will mark the end of his time with Argentina, unless circumstances change later.
For now, the plan is clear. Messi will return to Buenos Aires for one final match with the national team. He will share the occasion with former teammates, supporters and the country that he represented for more than two decades.
A final night in the Argentina shirt
The Benin match will carry meaning far beyond its status as a friendly. Argentina will face a new period after Messi, while supporters will get one final chance to see their captain in the famous blue and white shirt.
Messi will enter the match as Argentina’s record scorer and most-capped player. He has 125 goals from 207 appearances and is expected to make appearance number 208 on October 6.
His international story has included pain, pressure, trophies and historic victories. It has also included a World Cup triumph that Argentina had waited decades to celebrate.
Now, after his retirement decision, Messi has one final match with Argentina ahead of him. The Estadio Monumental will provide the setting, Benin will be the opponent, and thousands of supporters will have the chance to say goodbye to one of the most important players in Argentine football history.
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