Messi to bid farewell to Argentina against Benin on October 6
The AFA has officially confirmed Lionel Messi's participation in the final friendly of the international window against the Cheetahs at the Monumental. The match on October 6 will serve as a farewell for the Argentine captain.
Lionel Messi will play his farewell match with the Argentine national team against Benin on October 6, 2026, at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) confirmed on Tuesday. The Cheetahs will thus be the final opponents for the captain of the Albiceleste.
Argentina will kick off this series of friendly matches against Bolivia on September 30 at the Mario Alberto Kempes Stadium in Córdoba, followed by a match against Burkina Faso on October 3 at the Monumental before facing Benin three days later at the same venue.
AFA President Claudio Tapia explained that the decision for this final appearance was made after a discussion with head coach Lionel Scaloni. Messi accepted the invitation, and members of the 2022 World Cup-winning team in Qatar will also be invited to the Monumental with their families for the tribute.
The Argentina-Benin match was initially reported to be scheduled for October 6, without definitive confirmation from the Argentine federation. Tuesday’s announcement now places the match in the official schedule of the Albiceleste and adds significance with Messi’s announced final international appearance.
In its list published on Tuesday, the AFA specified that Lionel Messi, Rodrigo De Paul, and Giovani Lo Celso will join the squad to participate only in the final friendly on October 6. Players competing in the Argentine league will be announced on Friday.
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