Lionel Messi to play farewell match with Argentina: Details of the match

Football legend Lionel Messi announced his retirement from international football on August 31, 2026, with an emotional note on Instagram. The Argentine, however, has been called up as part of the national team for the upcoming international break so that the player can play a farewell match in front of home fans.

Lionel Messi to play for Argentina once again

On Tuesday, September 15, 2026, Argentina Football Federation released the player roster for the upcoming international break as decided by head coach Lionel Scaloni and Lionel Messi was named in it, days after he announced his retirement from the national team.

The 39-year-old will play one last match for Argentina in a farewell game and fans are emotional to see the World Cup winning captain don the blue-and-white shirt for one final dance.

In a video message, Argentina Football Federation President, Claudio Tapia confirmed the news and said, "To all Argentina fans, I want to tell you that after a conversation with the national team head coach, Lionel Scaloni, we have decided to call up the best player in the world, our national team emblem, our captain, Lionel Andrés Messi, so he can have the goodbye he truly deserves on October 6 here in Argentina".

When and where will Lionel Messi sign off as an Argentina player?

Lionel Messi will be part of the national team during their friendly match against Benin on October 6, 2026. The match will take place at the iconic Estadio Monumental in the nation's capital Buenos Aires. It is no doubt that this will be a fitting tribute and farewell to one of the best players the country has ever produced.

The AFA President also said, "At the same time, after Lionel accepted the invitation we decided to invite all the 2022 World Cup winners that played with him in Qatar so they can, with their families, join him in this match that will be unforgettable. We invite all Argentinians and national team fans to watch 'the last tango' of the best player in the world."

Messi's last match for Argentina came on July 19, 2026, at the FIFA World Cup Final against Spain. Despite a spectacular campaign where the Argentine No.10 single-handedly took the nation to a second consecutive Final, they fell short in the last match and had to settle for second place.

So far, the player has recorded 125 goals in 207 games for Argentina and will look forward to adding some more to the tally in the upcoming break.

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