Argentina vs Benin will be the last time Lionel Messi pulls on the national team shirt, turning a routine friendly into one of the biggest nights in South American football. The 39-year-old announced his retirement from international football on August 31, after Argentina lost the World Cup final to Spain. The Argentine Football Association (AFA), though, invited the captain back for one final appearance. Kickoff arrives on Tuesday, October 6, at the Monumental in Buenos Aires, which means fans in India need an early alarm for Wednesday morning.
Messi enters the night with 207 caps and 125 goals, both Argentine records, and the Benin game is expected to be his 208th appearance. Our earlier report on the Messi farewell match announcement covered the date, opponent and venue. Today’s guide adds kickoff times, streaming options, and the question hanging over Argentina’s No. 10 shirt.
The match kicks off at 8:00 PM local time on Tuesday, October 6, at Estadio Más Monumental, the 85,000-capacity home of River Plate. Because Buenos Aires is eight and a half hours behind India, the same kickoff lands at 4:30 AM IST on Wednesday, October 7. In the United States, the game starts at 7:00 PM ET and 4:00 PM PT on Tuesday, putting the farewell in prime time on the East Coast.
| Region | Date | Kickoff |
| Argentina (ART) | Tuesday, October 6 | 8:00 PM |
| US Eastern | Tuesday, October 6 | 7:00 PM ET |
| US Pacific | Tuesday, October 6 | 4:00 PM PT |
| India (IST) | Wednesday, October 7 | 4:30 AM |
Indian viewers should watch the date carefully, because a Tuesday night in Buenos Aires becomes a Wednesday morning at home. Setting a reminder the night before is the simplest way to avoid missing the opening whistle. Schedules can shift around ceremonies, so a quick check on match day is sensible.
Indian fans can stream the farewell live on ZEE5, which is offering the match through match pass and tour pass options. The fixture is not being shown live on any TV channel in India, so the app or website is the only official route. Anyone planning a 4:30 AM viewing should log in and check the subscription the night before.
In the United States, the game is available on ViX, which also has an add-on option through Amazon Prime Video. Coverage comes with Spanish commentary, which suits the occasion for many Argentina supporters. Listings vary by provider, so viewers should confirm the stream well before kickoff.
AFA president Claudio Tapia said the captain should receive “the farewell he truly deserves”, and the planning reflects that intention. Tapia invited every member of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning squad, which turns the Monumental into a reunion as much as a match. The game is the final fixture of a three-match home window against Bolivia, Burkina Faso and Benin.
Vice-captain Nicolás Otamendi is expected to make a last appearance, while Rodrigo De Paul and Giovani Lo Celso were called up only for the Benin game. Julián Álvarez and Lautaro Martínez are also in the squad, so Argentina’s attack will still have serious quality around Messi. The minutes Messi plays remain unconfirmed, but a 208th cap is the expected outcome.
Argentina has prepared a special shirt that keeps the sky blue and white stripes but adds gold detailing on the collar and cuffs, plus the AFA crest, Messi’s name and the number 10. The design will be the final shirt Messi wears for the national team, which gives it a symbolic weight beyond merchandise. Fans should expect the visuals of the night to be as memorable as the football.
Benin, a West African side ranked 89th in the FIFA world rankings, is the opponent for a night built around somebody else. Argentina sits second after finishing as World Cup runner-up, so the gap on paper is enormous. The result matters far less than the ceremony, and the match is best treated as a celebration first and a friendly second.
Messi leaves with 207 appearances, 125 goals and 68 assists. Messi has played in six World Cups and holds the record for World Cup matches with 34. The numbers explain why the farewell carries such weight across the country.
The silverware arrived in a rush after years of final defeats, with the 2021 Copa América, the 2022 Finalissima, the World Cup in Qatar and a second Copa América in 2024. The run to the 2026 final ended in a 1-0 defeat to Spain, which left one last trophy out of reach. Our look back at the 21-year Argentina journey from heartbreak to glory explains how long that road really was.
Argentina enters the post-Messi era with the most famous shirt in its history sitting unassigned. Coach Lionel Scaloni confirmed that nobody would wear the No. 10 against Bolivia or Burkina Faso, and that a decision on a successor would wait until after the farewell match. The vacancy is a situation Argentina has not faced in roughly 17 years, which shows how closely the number is tied to one player.
The shirt carries enormous history. Mario Kempes wore it in 1978, Diego Maradona in 1986 and Messi in 2022, so every World Cup win has come with a No. 10 at its center. Franco Mastantuono was the last player other than Messi to wear it, which tells fans how rarely it has changed hands.
Reports from Argentina point to Como’s Nico Paz as the leading candidate, helped by a goal and an assist in the 4-0 win over Bolivia. Alexis Mac Allister, Thiago Almada and Enzo Fernández are also being discussed, and the traditional link between the number and the enganche playmaker keeps midfielders in the frame. Paz has limited international experience, so handing over the number would be a bold statement about where Argentina sees its future.
Retiring the number is not a straightforward answer either. Tapia once vowed the shirt would be retired for life, but FIFA rules require numbers one to 23 in official competitions, so the plan cannot work in tournaments. ESPN reports that Scaloni is in no rush to decide, which leaves the debate open well beyond October 6.
The question has a parallel at Barcelona, where Messi became a global icon, and Lamine Yamal now carries the No. 10. Yamal’s goal and two assists in the 5-1 Champions League rout of Feyenoord showed how a young player can thrive under that weight. Argentina’s next wearer will face the same comparison from the first touch.
Retirement from Argentina does not end Messi’s career, because the forward continues with MLS club Inter Miami. Scaloni, meanwhile, has a contract that expires in December and has not confirmed whether he will stay. A new coach would inherit the No. 10 decision along with a squad that must learn to play without its leader.
What’s your take? Post it in our free sports community at stadiumrant.app, or download Stadium Rant on the App Store.
Argentina vs Benin will not be remembered for tactics or the scoreline. The night belongs to Messi, to the 2022 champions returning to the Monumental, and to a country saying goodbye to the player who ended its long wait for World Cup glory. Fans in India should set that 4:30 AM alarm, fans in the US should clear Tuesday evening, and everyone should expect the No. 10 question to follow the final whistle.
If you love sports, download Stadium Rant from the Apple App Store and join one of the fastest-growing social sports communities. Be sure to follow us on socials too — you can find all our profiles on our Linktree.
