Messi to Play Final Match for Argentina Against Benin on October 6

Lionel Messi has been called up by Argentina for a farewell friendly against Benin on October 6, 2026, at Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, marking his final appearance for the national team. The Argentine Football Association confirmed the squad on September 15, 2026, inviting the 39-year-old legend to have a deserved send-off on home soil after he announced his international retirement in August, following Argentina's extra-time loss to Spain in the World Cup final.

Messi retires after a two-decade international career that included winning the 2022 World Cup and Copa América titles in 2021 and 2024. He is expected to make his 208th and final appearance for Argentina, adding to his national record of 125 goals. AFA president Claudio Tapia stated the association invited "the best player in the world, the icon of our national team, our captain Lionel Andres Messi, to have a deserved farewell here in Argentina," and extended invitations to all 2022 World Cup winners to participate in what he described as an "unforgettable" occasion.

The farewell match is part of three friendlies Argentina will play during the September 21 to October 6 FIFA international window. Argentina will first face Bolivia on September 30 at Córdoba's Mario Alberto Kempes Stadium, then Burkina Faso on October 3 at Estadio Monumental, before the Benin match. Messi, alongside midfielders Rodrigo De Paul and Giovani Lo Celso, will participate only in the final friendly against Benin. The squad selection occurs as several key players serve suspensions for incidents following the World Cup final: midfielder Leandro Paredes (10 matches), defender Nahuel Molina (7 matches), and midfielder Thiago Almada (1 match).

Messi announced his retirement from international football in late August, stating it was "a decision that hurt and still hurts deep in my soul" following the death of his father Jorge. His contract with Major League Soccer club Inter Miami runs until the end of the 2028 season. The Monumental Stadium, River Plate's home ground with a capacity of 85,000 spectators, has been selected as the venue for his farewell—the largest stadium in South America and an appropriately grand stage for one of football's greatest players.