Messi announced his retirement from international football in August, following Argentina’s defeat to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final. Around the same period, he also said he was considering his future in football following the death of his father, Jorge.
The 39-year-old, who captained Argentina to World Cup glory in 2022, said the decision to stop representing the Albiceleste was deeply painful, but he felt he had given everything he could to the national team and had nothing more to offer.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner currently plays for Inter Miami in the United States. He is Argentina’s all-time leading scorer and most-capped player, having scored 125 goals in 207 appearances.
Claudio Tapia, president of the Argentine Football Association, said the decision was made to give Messi a proper farewell in front of the home crowd.
“We decided to invite the best player in the world, the symbol of our national team and our captain, Lionel Andrés Messi, so that we can give him a proper farewell on October 6 here in Argentina,” Tapia said.
Argentina will face Benin at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, which has a capacity of around 85,000 spectators.
Several members of the Argentina squad that won the 2022 World Cup have also been called up for the match. Tapia described the occasion as a day that will be “unforgettable.”
Argentina have been ordered to play their next two home matches at 50% of stadium capacity, although a one-match ban has been suspended.
The punishment followed violations of FIFA disciplinary regulations during the World Cup, including alleged inappropriate behaviour by the team and discriminatory chants and gestures by supporters.
After Argentina defeated England 2-1 in the World Cup semi-final, several Argentine players held up a banner claiming Argentina’s sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, a British territory in the South Atlantic.
Argentina are scheduled to play friendly matches against Bolivia in Córdoba on September 30 and Burkina Faso in Buenos Aires on October 3. As a result, the stadium restriction is expected to have been completed before the Benin match.
Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes and defender Nahuel Molina are not expected to feature in the upcoming fixtures after being suspended for 10 and seven matches respectively.
The pair were punished for their involvement in a confrontation on the pitch following Argentina’s defeat to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final.
