Historic night awaits Messi in farewell friendly

Lionel Messi is preparing to play his last match in the Argentina shirt when he faces Benin in a Friendly at the 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 national 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 Lionel Messi will receive "the farewell he deserves" at the Monumental Stadium.

The match is scheduled to kick off on Wednesday at 2:00 AM Cairo, Saudi Arabia, and Palestine time, and at 3:00 AM UAE time.

Lionel Messi 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 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.

Argentina is preparing a special ceremony to honor Lionel Messi, who will play his 208th match with the national team. He has previously played 207 matches 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 are on the "El Monumental" stadium early Wednesday, as Messi prepares to wear the Argentina shirt for the last time, on a night expected to combine a friendly match with a celebration of the legacy of one of the greatest football players in the history of the Argentina national team.