Leo Messi set for Argentina last dance in farewell match vs Benin
Lionel Messi will make a final appearance for Argentina against Benin on October 6 as the 39-year-old brings his remarkable international career to a close.
Lionel Messi is set to receive his long-awaited farewell from Argentina after being included in the squad for the national team’s friendly against Benin on October 6.
The 39-year-old announced his international retirement following Argentina’s 2026 World Cup campaign, but the Argentine Football Association has arranged one final appearance for its iconic captain at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.
Messi will not feature in Argentina’s earlier friendlies against Bolivia on September 30 and Burkina Faso on October 3, with the Benin clash specifically designated as his farewell.
FIFA confirmed that the forward has accepted the invitation, with AFA president Claudio Tapia also planning to bring members of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning squad to the occasion.
The match is expected to bring the curtain down on more than two decades of international football for Messi, who made his Argentina debut in 2005 and has established himself as the country’s record goalscorer.
He currently has 125 goals from 207 appearances and is expected to earn his 208th cap against Benin. His international career has included the 2021 and 2024 Copa America titles and the 2022 World Cup, while Argentina also reached the 2026 World Cup final before losing to Spain.
The farewell will therefore offer Argentine supporters one final opportunity to see their legendary No.10 represent the national team on home soil.
