Historic night awaits Messi: Argentina prepare to bid farewell to the legend

Lionel Messi is set to play his last match for Argentina when he faces Benin in a Friendly at Estadio Monumental in the capital Buenos Aires. This match has turned into a historic event after the Argentine star announced his retirement from international football a few weeks ago.

The Argentine Football Association has announced that the match will be dedicated to honoring the team's captain and giving him the farewell he deserves in front of his country's fans. Claudio Tapia, the president of the Argentine Football Association, stated that Messi will receive "the farewell he deserves" at the Estadio Monumental.

The match will take place on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at the "Monumental" stadium, starting at 8:00 PM local time in Argentina, which is 2:00 AM in Egypt and Saudi Arabia, early on Wednesday, October 7.

Lionel Messi has indeed missed Argentina's matches against Bolivia and Burkina Faso during the current international break, as it was decided that his participation during this break would be limited to the match against Benin.

The match against Benin is receiving exceptional attention as it marks the end of a more than 20-year international career for Lionel Messi, during which he led Argentina to victory in the FIFA World Cup 2022 and won two Copa América titles, establishing himself as one of the most prominent players in the history of the national team.

The Argentine Football Association is preparing a special ceremony to honor Lionel Messi, who will play his 208th match with the national team. It is worth noting that he has played 207 matches before this one and scored 125 goals.

Lionel Messi has unveiled a special shirt for his last match with Argentina, featuring a unique design and his name and number in gold. Messi himself shared a picture of the shirt with the message: "the last match... a shirt for a lifetime."

All eyes will be on Estadio Monumental early Wednesday as Messi prepares to don the Argentina shirt for the last time, in a night expected to blend a friendly match with a celebration of one of the greatest footballers in the history of the Argentina national team.