Buenos Aires is preparing to give Lionel Messi one last night in Argentina colours. The 39-year-old has unveiled the shirt he will wear for his farewell appearance with the national team, a home friendly against Benin on 6 October.
Messi revealed the new Argentina jersey in a short Instagram video, replacing the shirt used at the 2026 World Cup with the one reserved for his final international match. His post carried the message: “Last match… a shirt for a lifetime.”
Quick facts
- Messi’s final Argentina appearance is scheduled for 6 October in Buenos Aires.
- Benin will provide the opposition in the farewell friendly.
- The captain announced his international retirement on 31 August.
- He remains in Lionel Scaloni’s 28-player squad for the upcoming friendlies, but will play only once.
- His Argentina career ends after 21 years, with 125 goals and the 2022 World Cup.
The design keeps Argentina’s familiar sky-blue and white identity, but the back carries a more pronounced blue tone. Messi’s name and number are picked out in gold, while the collar and sleeve details combine gold and black.
A large, faint sun motif sits behind the lettering, adding another national reference to the shirt that will be associated with his final outing before the home crowd. The video showed the jersey from the back as Messi hung it in place.
The Rosario-born forward confirmed on 31 August that he would bring down the curtain on a 21-year international career. Scaloni nevertheless selected him for the forthcoming friendly programme, with the Benin match set aside as his sole appearance.
Argentina Football Association president Claudio Tapia said the decision had been made to invite “the best player in the world, our national-team symbol and our captain” so that he could receive the farewell he deserves in Argentina.
Messi leaves with 125 goals for the Albiceleste, the World Cup won in Qatar in 2022 and the more recent runners-up finish against Spain. Buenos Aires now has one final date with the captain who carried its colours across more than two decades.
