Rosario has welcomed Lionel Messi home ahead of a farewell that will carry him from the streets of Funes to Buenos Aires and the Monumental. Argentina’s captain arrived in the country on Friday, earlier than originally scheduled by the national-team staff, before what is set to be his final official appearance for the Albiceleste.
The news from the club
The Inter Miami forward landed by private aircraft at Rosario’s Islas Malvinas International Airport, travelling with his wife Antonela Roccuzzo, their three children and his mother, Celia Cuccittini. He then headed to his home in nearby Funes before joining Lionel Scaloni’s Argentina squad at the Ezeiza training complex.
Messi will link up with the group after Argentina’s Saturday-night friendly against Burkina Faso at the Monumental. That match comes before the meeting with Bolivia, when the 10 is expected to take the field at River Plate’s stadium for the closing chapter of his international career.
Having confirmed his retirement from Argentina duty several weeks ago, Messi will have only one training session with his team-mates before the Bolivia fixture.
A Monumental farewell
Argentina’s final match involving Messi is scheduled for Tuesday, 6 October, with kick-off at 17:00 Central Mexico time. The Monumental is expected to be full, with all tickets already sold.
A special one-off shirt has been prepared for the occasion. The commemorative design presents the Argentine flag vertically, placing the Sun of May at its centre and surrounding Messi’s famous number 10 with laurel branches.
