End of an era: The last time you will see Messi playing for Argentina

Lionel Messi has been included in the Argentina national team squad for the upcoming international window and will play his final match in the national colors on October 6 against Benin. The president of the Argentine Football Association confirmed the official farewell. Messi announced his retirement about a month and a half after the 2026 World Cup final and about three weeks after the death of his father.

Lionel Messi has been included in the Argentina national team squad for the upcoming international window and will play his final match in the national colors. The match will take place on October 6 against Benin at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires. The president of the Argentine Football Association, Claudio Tapia, confirmed the plan and wrote that they invited the best player in the world so that he could have the farewell he deserves. Messi announced his retirement from the Argentina national team about a month and a half after the 2026 World Cup final, in which Argentina lost to Spain, and about three weeks after the death of his father. The local crowd will get a last chance to see the captain who led the team to victory in the 2022 World Cup, two Copa América titles, and the Finalissima. Argentina will play three friendly matches in the upcoming window: against Bolivia, Burkina Faso, and finally Benin in the official farewell match.