BUENOS AIRES: An emotional moment awaits millions of Lionel Messi fans as the Argentina Football Association (AFA) has confirmed that the legendary footballer will once again take the field wearing the national team’s iconic blue-and-white jersey.
According to details, 39-year-old Messi will play his final match for Argentina against Benin on October 6, 2026, at the iconic Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, as he prepares to bring the curtain down on his remarkable and record-breaking international career.
AFA President Claudio Tapia said that, in consultation with national team head coach Lionel Scaloni, Messi was offered a special farewell match, an offer that the football superstar gladly accepted.
Messi has so far made 207 appearances for Argentina and scored 125 goals for his country. The crowning achievement of his international career came in 2022, when he played a pivotal role in leading Argentina to a historic FIFA World Cup triumph in Qatar.
Although his international career appeared to have reached its conclusion without a major formal farewell celebration following the 2022 World Cup, Argentine fans will now have the opportunity to see one of the greatest footballers in the country’s history in action one final time on home soil.
According to sources, all members of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning squad, along with their families, have also been specially invited to the prestigious and emotional occasion.
The farewell is expected to make for a memorable night as Argentina prepares to celebrate the extraordinary career of a player who has become an enduring icon of the national team and one of the most celebrated figures in world football.
