Buenos Aires is preparing for Lionel Messi’s final night in Argentina colours, but the choice of Benin as the visitors for 6 October has drawn a sharp response from within the country’s football conversation.
Mariano Closs has questioned whether an opponent of Benin’s standing is fitting for a farewell intended to honour one of the defining international careers of the modern era. Messi, Argentina’s captain and No. 10, is due to bring his national-team journey to a close after the Albiceleste’s FIFA-window fixtures against Bolivia and Burkina Faso.
A farewell arranged after retirement announcement
- Messi confirmed his retirement from the Argentina national side on 31 August, following his involvement at the most recent World Cup.
- In a message shared on social media, the Rosario-born forward said he wanted to make room for a new generation of players.
- The Argentine Football Association then arranged a farewell match in Buenos Aires against Benin.
- Messi was named among 28 players selected for a three-match friendly programme, with his appearance set for the final fixture after games against Bolivia and Burkina Faso.
- Argentina, led by Lionel Scaloni, will face the African side on 6 October, with Messi expected to wear the captain’s armband.
Closs calls for a larger occasion
Speaking during a television discussion, Closs argued that the celebration should have been staged as an Argentina-versus-the-rest-of-the-world exhibition rather than a conventional friendly against Benin.
He imagined a wider cast of leading football figures taking part, suggesting that players such as Neymar and Harry Kane could have joined the tribute, with Pep Guardiola in the opposing dugout and Xavi and Andrés Iniesta involved. His central complaint was that, if the event is being built around Messi, it should be presented on a more ambitious scale.
Numbers behind an Argentina era
The Benin match would leave Messi with at least 208 appearances, 125 goals and 68 assists for Argentina, with the potential to add to each total in Buenos Aires. Across that span, he took the national side to several finals and ultimately delivered the World Cup triumph that had long defined the final pursuit of his international career.
