Lionel Messi's 208th appearance will be his farewell to the national team he has represented since 2005. At age 39, the forward holds both the records for most appearances and goals for Argentina, having scored 125 times before facing Benin.
Messi announced his retirement from the national team on 31/8, six weeks after Argentina's defeat to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final. He stated he had nothing more to give. While coach Lionel Scaloni left the door open for a change of heart, the match in Buenos Aires is organized as his final goodbye.
"We invited the world's best player, a symbol of the national team, captain Lionel Messi, so he could have a worthy farewell in Argentina", announced Claudio Tapia, President of the Argentine Football Association (AFA).
The Monumental stadium is expected to host 85,000 spectators for the event. Performances and tributes are planned before the match, at halftime, and after the final whistle, alongside a fireworks display and drone show. Messi will wear a special jersey, featuring his name and the number 10 in yellow on the back. Introducing the jersey on Instagram, he wrote, "The last match... A jersey for a lifetime".
This farewell concludes a journey marked by past failures and doubts before Messi led Argentina back to the pinnacle of international football. He secured Copa America titles in 2021 and 2024, the 2022 Finalissima, and the 2022 World Cup. Earlier in his career, Messi and the national team had experienced losses in the 2014 World Cup final and three Copa America finals.
The 2026 World Cup brought another final appearance, but not a second trophy. The defeat to Spain ultimately became Messi's last official match for Argentina, before his return home for this farewell.
Argentina has reason to expect a victory to conclude this special day. Scaloni's team recently defeated Bolivia 4-0 and Burkina Faso 7-0 in two friendly matches during the current international break. However, Messi's return gives this final match a dual significance: Argentina will both honor its captain and begin preparations for playing without him.
Benin understands its role in the farewell, but the team does not wish to merely be background. Goalkeeper Marcel Dandjinou affirmed that the visiting team must defend national honor and will attempt to prevent Messi from scoring.
"We came to play and compete", Dandjinou stated before the match. He also indicated he would try to save a penalty if Messi took one in the final minute, as respecting an opponent does not mean conceding a goal.
Following this match, Messi will continue his club career with Inter Miami, where his contract extends until the end of the 2028 season. For Argentina, however, the match against Benin marks the culmination of a journey spanning over two decades – from the young man sent off on his debut to the captain who lifted the World Cup.
Vy Anh
