In short
- Argentina have named Lionel Messi, 39, in their squad for a friendly against Benin on 6 October at River Plate’s Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.
- Messi is Argentina’s all-time leading scorer and most-capped player, with 125 goals in 207 appearances.
- The Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires has a capacity of 85,000 and will host the Benin match.
- Leandro Paredes was banned for 10 games and Nahuel Molina for seven matches over on-field clashes after the 2026 World Cup final defeat by Spain.
- Argentina play Bolivia in Cordoba on 30 September and Burkina Faso in Buenos Aires on 3 October before facing Benin.
Argentina have named Lionel Messi in their squad for a friendly against Benin on 6 October at River Plate’s Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, a match set to be the 39-year-old forward’s farewell to international football. Messi announced his retirement from Argentina duty in August, after his country’s defeat by Spain in the 2026 World Cup final.
When and where is Messi’s Argentina farewell match?
The friendly against Benin will be played on 6 October at River Plate’s Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, which has a capacity of 85,000. Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning squad have also been invited to the match.
“We made the decision to invite the best player in the world, the symbol of our national team, our captain, Lionel Andres Messi, so that he can have the farewell he truly deserves on 6 October here in Argentina,” said Argentine FA president Claudio Tapia.
Tapia said the occasion would be an “unforgettable” one.
Why is Messi leaving international football?
Messi announced in August that he was retiring from Argentina duty, in the wake of the 2026 World Cup final defeat by Spain, and after saying he was considering his future in football following the death of his father, Jorge. The forward said the decision hurt him “deeply”, that he had “given it my all” and that he had “nothing left to give”.
What records has Messi set with Argentina?
Messi, 39, is Argentina’s all-time leading scorer and most-capped player, with 125 goals in 207 appearances. He captained Argentina when they won the 2022 World Cup, has won the Ballon d’Or eight times, currently plays for Inter Miami and has reached a preliminary deal for a majority stake in the Spanish club Eldense.
What sanctions apply to Argentina’s home matches?
Argentina were ordered to play their next two home matches at 50 percent capacity, with one of those matches suspended, for breaches of the Fifa disciplinary code during the World Cup. The punishment related to using a sports event for demonstrations of a non-sporting nature, team misconduct, and discriminatory chants and gestures by supporters.
Several Argentina players held up a banner claiming Argentine sovereignty over the Falkland Islands after their 2-1 win over England in the World Cup semi-final. The islands are a British overseas territory and the subject of sanctions proceedings opened by Argentina’s government.
Argentina play friendlies against Bolivia on 30 September in Cordoba and Burkina Faso in Buenos Aires on 3 October, which should mean the punishment has been served before the Benin match.
Who is missing from Argentina’s squad?
Leandro Paredes and his team-mate Nahuel Molina are not expected to be available for the Benin game. Paredes, a midfielder, was given a 10-game suspension and Molina a seven-match ban for their part in on-field clashes following Argentina’s defeat by Spain in the World Cup final.
Frequently asked questions
When is Lionel Messi’s farewell match for Argentina?
Argentina’s friendly against Benin is scheduled for 6 October at River Plate’s Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, and it is set to be Messi’s farewell to international football.
Why did Messi retire from international football?
Messi announced his retirement from Argentina duty in August, after the 2026 World Cup final defeat by Spain, and after saying he was considering his future in football following the death of his father, Jorge.
How many goals has Messi scored for Argentina?
Messi has scored 125 goals in 207 appearances for Argentina, making him the country’s all-time leading scorer and its most-capped player.
Why has Argentina been ordered to play home matches at reduced capacity?
Fifa ordered Argentina to play their next two home matches at 50 percent capacity, with one of those matches suspended, for disciplinary code breaches during the World Cup including non-sporting demonstrations, team misconduct and discriminatory chants and gestures by supporters.
With reporting from BBC News.
Stock image, not from the events described. City Skyline — Joe deSousa / Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0)
