Messi Called Up For Argentina Farewell Friendly Against Benin

Argentina Football Association president Claudio Tapia has confirmed that Lionel Messi will be included in the national team squad for a friendly against Benin on October 6, giving the captain a formal farewell on home soil.

The match will take place at River Plate’s Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires. Tapia said the decision followed discussions with coach Lionel Scaloni and that Messi has accepted the invitation.

“We decided to invite the best player in the world, our icon, our captain Lionel Messi, so that he can have the farewell he deserves on October 6,” Tapia stated. 

The association has also invited the 2022 World Cup-winning squad and their families to attend what has been described as the “last tango.”

Messi, 39, announced his retirement from international football in late August after Argentina finished as runners-up at the 2026 World Cup, losing the final to Spain. The Inter Miami forward ends his Argentina career as the team’s all-time leading scorer and most-capped player, with 125 goals in 207 appearances.

Argentina will play three home friendlies in the upcoming window: against Bolivia on September 30 in Córdoba, Burkina Faso on October 3, and Benin on October 6. Messi’s participation is planned specifically for the final match.