Messi named in Argentina squad for October 6 farewell friendly against Benin in Buenos Aires
Lionel Messi was named in Argentina's squad on Tuesday (September 15, 2026) for a friendly against Benin in Buenos Aires on October 6 that will serve as his farewell after he announced his international retirement last month. The match is scheduled at River Plate's Estadio Monumental and Messi is expected to make his final Argentina appearance.
The 39-year-old said in August he was retiring from Argentina duty after a two-decade international career that included winning the 2022 World Cup and Copa America triumphs in 2021 and 2024. Messi is Argentina’s all-time record scorer with 125 goals and is due to reach what organisers expect will be his 208th and final cap in the Benin game. His contract with Major League Soccer club Inter Miami runs until the end of the 2028 season.
The Benin friendly will be played at River Plate’s Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, which the report says can accommodate 85,000 spectators. Argentine FA president Claudio Tapia said: "We made the decision to invite the best player in the world, the symbol of our national team, our captain, Lionel Andres Messi, so that he can have the farewell he truly deserves on October 6 here in Argentina." Tapia also invited all of Argentina's 2022 World Cup winners to join Messi for what he said would be an "unforgettable" occasion.
Argentina begin a series of three friendlies away to Bolivia on September 30 in Cordoba, which will be their first match since losing the World Cup final to Spain, before facing Burkina Faso in Buenos Aires on October 3 and Benin on October 6. Messi has been included only in the squad for the third match, the Benin friendly, according to the announcement. The sequence of fixtures is presented as the team’s immediate post-World Cup programme.
FIFA last month ordered Argentina to stage their next home match with stadium capacity reduced to 50 percent for breaches of its disciplinary code relating to using a sports event for making demonstrations of a non-sporting nature. The disciplinary action followed an incident after Argentina beat England 2-1 in a tense World Cup semi-final in July when several players held up a banner saying: "The Falklands are Argentine."
The upcoming friendlies are also expected to count towards suspensions handed down following incidents after Argentina's World Cup final defeat by Spain. Midfielder Leandro Paredes received a 10-match ban, defender Nahuel Molina was suspended for seven games and Thiago Almada was suspended for one game, the report states.
Messi’s international retirement followed the death of his father Jorge last month, and the player said he had had "serious doubts" about continuing to play football of any sort for "much longer". On announcing his decision to end his Argentina career he said: "It was a decision that hurt and still hurts deep in my soul but I understand that it is the right time."
Argentina will open the three-match friendly series against Bolivia on September 30 in Cordoba, followed by the Burkina Faso game in Buenos Aires on October 3 and the scheduled Benin farewell at the Estadio Monumental on October 6.
