Buenos Aires will give Lionel Messi one final night in Argentina colours on 6 October, when the world champions meet Benin at River Plate’s Monumental de Núñez and the captain closes his international career before a home crowd.
Messi’s farewell in Buenos Aires
The Argentine Football Association has confirmed that Messi, who announced his retirement from the national team days earlier, will return for one final appearance under Lionel Scaloni. The Inter Miami forward is due to play only the Benin friendly, the last of Argentina’s three matches during the next FIFA international window.
AFA president Claudio Tapia said the decision followed discussions with Scaloni and described Messi as the national side’s emblem and captain. He said the invitation was intended to give the 10-shirt the farewell he deserves in his own country.
Tapia added that members of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning squad were invited once Messi accepted the occasion. He called the celebration the “final tango of the best player in the world”.
Three matches across Córdoba and Núñez
Argentina’s October programme begins in Córdoba before the squad moves east to the capital for two fixtures at the Monumental, River Plate’s home ground.
- 30 September: Argentina face Bolivia in Córdoba.
- 3 October: Argentina host Burkina Faso at the Monumental de Núñez.
- 6 October: Argentina meet Benin at the Monumental, with Messi set for his farewell appearance.
Rodrigo De Paul, Messi’s Inter Miami team-mate, and Real Betis midfielder Giovani Lo Celso have also agreed to feature only in the Benin match.
Scaloni’s squad for the window
Palmeiras have two representatives in the call-up: right-back Giay and forward Flaco López. Scaloni’s group also includes a broad mix of players from clubs across Europe, South America and Major League Soccer.
- Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martínez (Chelsea), Musso (Atlético de Madrid), Rulli (Manchester City).
- Defenders: Giay (Palmeiras), Balerdi (Roma), Cristian Romero (Atlético de Madrid), Lisandro Martínez (Manchester United), Foyth (Recreativo Huelva), Facundo Medina (Bayer Leverkusen), Tagliafico (Lyon), Román Vega (Zenit), Valentín Barco (Chelsea).
- Midfielders: Enzo Fernández (Manchester City), Mac Allister (Liverpool), Giovani Lo Celso (Betis), Exequiel Palacios (Ipswich Town), Rodrigo De Paul (Inter Miami), Nico Paz (Como), Mastantuono (Fiorentina), Matías Soulé (Roma).
- Forwards: Giuliano Simeone (Atlético de Madrid), Nico González (Juventus), Prestianni (Benfica), Flaco López (Palmeiras), Santiago Castro (Roma), Julián Álvarez (Atlético de Madrid), Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami).
Argentina prepare a home tribute
The October 6 meeting with Benin will bring together the captain and several of the players who lifted the World Cup in Qatar in 2022. For Argentina, the fixture is not simply the closing match of an international break: it is planned as a Monumental farewell to the player who led the country to its third world title.
Headline: Messi to receive Argentina farewell against Benin at Monumental
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