Messi to bid farewell to Argentina in Oct. 6 match against Benin

Argentine Football Association President Claudio Tapia said in a video statement that the match would give the 39-year-old captain “the farewell he truly deserves” in his homeland.

The game will be played at River Plate’s Monumental Stadium, where Messi will have an opportunity to say goodbye to Argentinian supporters after more than two decades with the national team.

Tapia described the occasion as “the last tango of Lionel Andres Messi” and said the players who helped Argentina win the 2022 World Cup, along with their families, had been invited to attend.

Messi announced his retirement from international football on Aug. 31, saying he had “nothing left to give” after a career in which he became Argentina’s record appearance-maker and goalscorer.

He has scored 125 goals in more than 200 appearances for his country, also helping it win the 2022 World Cup and two Copa America titles in 2021 and 2024.

His last competitive international goal came against Egypt in the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup. Argentina later reached the final but lost 1-0 to Spain.

The Benin match will conclude a three-game friendly schedule for Argentina, beginning against Bolivia at Cordoba’s Mario Kempes Stadium on Sept. 30. The team will then face Burkina Faso in Buenos Aires on Oct. 3 before Messi’s farewell three days later.

The fixtures follow disciplinary action imposed on Argentina over incidents at the 2026 World Cup.

The FIFA Disciplinary Committee ordered Argentina to play its next two home matches with stadium capacity restricted to 50%, although the second restriction was suspended subject to a probationary period.

The sanctions concerned several breaches during the tournament, including post-match conduct and a political demonstration after Argentina’s semifinal victory over England, when players displayed a banner asserting the country’s claim to the British-administered Falkland Islands.

The active capacity restriction is therefore expected to be served before the Benin friendly, allowing Messi’s farewell to take place without the attendance limit.

Messi will continue playing club football for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer following the end of his international career.