Messi makes Argentina squad for Benin friendly as farewell confirmed

Lionel Messi has been named in Argentina’s squad for a friendly against Benin on 6 October, with the match expected to mark his final appearance for the national team.

The Argentina captain announced his retirement from international football in August following the country’s defeat by Spain in the 2026 World Cup final.

His decision came after he had also spoken about reconsidering his future following the death of his father, Jorge.

The 39-year-old, who led Argentina to World Cup glory in 2022, said stepping away from the national team had hurt him “deeply” but insisted he had “given it my all” and had “nothing left to give”.

Messi to receive farewell at Monumental

Argentina Football Association president Claudio Tapia confirmed that Messi had been invited for a farewell appearance at River Plate’s Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.

“We made the decision 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 on 6 October here in Argentina,” Tapia said.

The stadium, which has a capacity of around 85,000, will also welcome members of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning squad for what Tapia described as an “unforgettable” occasion.

Messi leaves international football as Argentina’s record goalscorer and most-capped player, with 125 goals in 207 appearances. The Inter Miami forward has also won a record eight Ballon d’Or awards.

Argentina to serve home-match sanction

Argentina will face Bolivia in Cordoba on 30 September before hosting Burkina Faso in Buenos Aires on 3 October, meaning their two-match home sanction is expected to be completed before Messi’s farewell.

The punishment followed breaches of FIFA’s disciplinary code during the World Cup, including discriminatory chants and gestures, team misconduct and the use of a sporting event for non-sporting demonstrations.

The sanction initially required Argentina to play their next two home matches at 50% capacity, although one of those matches was suspended.

Meanwhile, Leandro Paredes and Nahuel Molina are unavailable after receiving 10-game and seven-match suspensions respectively for their involvement in clashes following Argentina’s World Cup final defeat by Spain.