Messi bids farewell to Argentina career in Buenos Aires friendly against Benin

Lionel Messi will make his final appearance for Argentina in a farewell friendly against Benin at the Estadio Más Monumental in Buenos Aires, with kick-off scheduled for 12am UK time on Wednesday, 7 October (8pm local time on Tuesday, 6 October).

The match takes place at River Plate’s iconic home ground, which holds more than 85,000 supporters, providing a fitting stage for the end of one of international football’s most decorated careers.

Messi made his Argentina debut in 2005 and went on to earn 207 caps, scoring 125 goals and contributing 68 assists across more than two decades of service. His international honours include the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, two Copa América titles and an Olympic gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Games.

The friendly has been organised specifically as a tribute to Messi, giving Argentine supporters the chance to say goodbye to the player widely regarded as the greatest of his generation. Benin, ranked outside the top 100 by FIFA, were selected as the opposition for the occasion.

Messi, now 37, continues his club career with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer, where he has played since leaving Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2023. His decision to retire from international duty brings to a close a story that began with a teenage debut and ended with the one trophy — the World Cup — that had long eluded him before the triumph in Qatar.