Lionel Messi Farewell Match: Lionel Messi will make his final scheduled appearance for Argentina when the national team faces Benin on October 6 at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires. Messi announced his retirement from international football on August 31, ending more than two decades with the Argentina national team. However, the Argentine Football Association invited its captain back for one final appearance in front of supporters in Argentina. FIFA confirmed that the match against Benin will serve as Messi’s farewell game for the national team.
Argentina will face Benin on October 6 at River Plate’s Estadio Monumental. The game is part of a three-match friendly schedule for Argentina during the September and October international window. Before the Benin match, Argentina is scheduled to play Bolivia on September 30 at the Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes in Córdoba. The team will then face Burkina Faso at the Monumental on October 3 before returning to the same stadium for Messi’s farewell against Benin on October 6. The AFA has confirmed that Messi, Rodrigo De Paul and Giovani Lo Celso will participate in the October 6 friendly. That means supporters will have the opportunity to see Messi wear the Argentina shirt one final time after his decision to retire from international football.
Messi announced his retirement after Argentina’s run at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Argentina reached the final before losing 1-0 to Spain. In his farewell message, Messi explained that the decision was painful but that he believed it was time to close the chapter. He wrote that he had given everything for the Argentina shirt and expressed his love for the national team after more than 20 years representing his country. Messi’s final World Cup appearance came in the 2026 final against Spain. His retirement therefore marked the end of an international career that included five World Cup appearances and some of the biggest trophies in Argentina’s history.
Messi made his senior Argentina debut in 2005 and went on to become the country’s captain and record holder for international appearances and goals. His Argentina career included the Copa America title in 2021, the Finalissima in 2022, the FIFA World Cup in Qatar in 2022 and another Copa America title in 2024. He also led Argentina to the 2026 World Cup final before announcing his retirement. The 2022 World Cup was the biggest achievement of Messi’s international career. Argentina defeated France in the final in Qatar, giving Messi the World Cup title that had eluded him during much of his career. His relationship with the Argentina national team was not always straightforward. Before winning those major trophies, Messi experienced several difficult defeats and lost finals with Argentina. He eventually returned to lead the team to a period of major international success.
The Lionel Messi farewell match against Benin will give Argentina supporters the opportunity to celebrate the captain’s international career on home soil. AFA president Claudio Tapia said Messi was invited back so that he could receive the farewell he deserved in Argentina. The occasion is therefore expected to focus on celebrating Messi’s contribution to the national team as well as the friendly itself. For more than two decades, Messi has been one of the central figures of Argentina’s national team. He represented the country through different generations of players, became captain and helped Argentina win major international trophies. The October 6 match at the Monumental will bring that chapter to a close. After the farewell against Benin, Argentina will move forward without Messi as an active member of the national team. For supporters who have watched Messi’s entire international career, the match will provide one final opportunity to see the legendary No. 10 wear Argentina’s famous blue and white shirt.
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