Messi Set For Emotional Argentina Farewell Against Benin

Lionel Messi is set for an emotional final appearance for Argentina when he leads the team against Benin in a friendly in Buenos Aires on Tuesday.

The match has been billed as “The Night That No One Wants to End”, with thousands of supporters expected at the Estadio Monumental to bid farewell to the 39-year-old superstar.

The Argentine Football Association has described the occasion as one that will “transcend sports” and be “full of emotion”.

Messi’s Final Argentina Appearance

Messi announced his international retirement in the weeks following Argentina’s World Cup final defeat by Spain, saying, “The time has come.”

The AFA subsequently persuaded him to make one final appearance for the national team for “the farewell he deserves”.

Messi shared pictures on social media of himself arriving for his final Argentina camp and taking part in his last training sessions.

“Special moments I know I will miss,” he wrote.

The Argentina captain comes into the farewell after narrowly missing out on consecutive World Cup titles. The defending champions lost 1-0 to Spain in the final in July in New Jersey.

A Lasting Argentina Legacy

Messi achieved his biggest ambition in Qatar four years earlier when he led Argentina to World Cup glory, matching the achievement of Diego Maradona.

He finishes his Argentina career with 207 appearances and a national-record 125 goals, including 21 at the World Cup. Messi appeared at six World Cups, matching the record shared with his long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo.

The forward briefly retired from international football in 2016 but returned to enjoy the most successful period of his Argentina career.

He subsequently helped the team win the Copa America in 2021 and 2024 before lifting the World Cup in 2022.

Messi will continue his club career with Inter Miami, having recently won the Campeones Cup, his fourth trophy with the Major League Soccer side.