Buenos Aires is preparing to close one of its longest international chapters. Lionel Messi is set to play his final match for Argentina on 6 October, when Benin visit the Monumental in Núñez for a friendly, and the national team has already identified the man who will inherit his armband.
Cristian “Cuti” Romero, the 28-year-old Atlético de Madrid defender, has been selected as Argentina’s next captain. Lionel Scaloni’s decision addresses the leadership question left by Messi’s departure, even if replacing the country’s historic No. 10 on the pitch is another matter entirely.
Quick facts
- Messi’s Argentina farewell is scheduled for 6 October against Benin at the Monumental.
- Romero will become the new captain after having led the side three times since 2025.
- Emiliano Martínez, Rodrigo De Paul and Lautaro Martínez follow in the captaincy order.
- Messi made 207 Argentina appearances, scoring 125 goals and supplying 68 assists.
- As captain, Messi lifted two Copa Américas, the 2022 Finalissima and the 2022 World Cup.
Scaloni explained that Romero was already third in the leadership line behind Messi and Nicolás Otamendi. The coach added that goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez is also an option to wear the armband, alongside De Paul and Lautaro Martínez.
“Cuti will be captain,” Scaloni said. “He had already been the third captain after Leo and Ota. Emiliano can wear it too, as can Rodrigo and Lautaro. But Cuti is the chosen one.”
De Paul has been called up specifically for Messi’s farewell but will not feature in Argentina’s other two fixtures during the international window. Argentina are also due to meet Bolivia and Burkina Faso.
Romero has already had three brief spells as national-team captain. His first came on 25 June 2025, when Argentina won 1-0 away to Chile in South American World Cup qualifying.
He again wore the armband for a 1-0 friendly victory over Venezuela in October 2025, before captaining the 2-1 win against Mauritania in March 2026.
Messi’s captaincy era
Messi first led Argentina on 22 June 2010, in a 2-0 World Cup victory against Greece during Diego Maradona’s time as coach. He became the regular captain from a friendly against Venezuela on 2 September 2011.
Over the following years, he captained Argentina in more than 130 matches and led the side into three World Cup finals. His four trophies as skipper were the Copa América titles of 2021 and 2024, the 2022 Finalissima and the World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
The Benin match will therefore bring a ceremonial final night at the Monumental, while Romero begins the more practical task of carrying Argentina’s leadership into the next cycle.
