Lionel Messi bids farewell to Argentina in a friendly match against Benin

Lionel Messi, the unparalleled football star and captain of the Argentina national team, will experience his last appearance on the national stage on October 6 in a friendly match against Benin at the Estadio Monumental River Plate. This match will serve as his official farewell to the national team after two decades of international presence and significant achievements, including winning the 2022 World Cup and the Copa America in 2021 and 2024.

Key Figures and Match Schedule

Claudio Tapia, the president of the Argentine Football Association, stated: “We decided to invite the best player in the world, the symbol of our national team and our captain, Lionel Andrés Messi, to have a worthy farewell.” This match will take place at the Estadio Monumental, which has a capacity of 85,000 spectators, and many fans are expected to come out to support Messi.

Read more: India's cricket team continues as champions with a victory over Afghanistan

The Argentina national team will also face Bolivia on September 30 in Córdoba. This match will be the first national game after their defeat in the 2022 World Cup final against Spain. Following that, Argentina will meet Burkina Faso on October 3 in Buenos Aires.

Reactions and Consequences of Messi's Retirement

Messi, who announced his retirement from the national team in August, was deeply affected by the death of his father, Jorge, and had expressed that he had “serious doubts” about continuing football. He commented on his decision to end his national team career: “This was a decision that deeply hurt my soul, but I understand that this is the right time.”

Messi's goal tally for the Argentina national team has reached 125 goals, making him the all-time leading scorer in the history of the national football team. His contract with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer runs until the end of the 2028 season.

Last month, FIFA ordered Argentina to hold their next home game at 50% capacity due to a violation of their disciplinary code, which included using sporting events for non-sporting displays. After Argentina's victory over England in the World Cup semifinals, some players displayed banners stating “The Malvinas Islands belong to Argentina.”

These friendly matches are also considered part of the penalties for incidents that occurred following Argentina's defeat in the World Cup final against Spain. Leonardo Paredes, Argentina's midfielder, was suspended for 10 matches, while Nahuel Molina was suspended for 7 matches and Thiago Almada for 1 match.

Read more: Arteta is angry about the controversial Sunderland penalty while Arsenal won · Brawl in the stadium: Demiral clashes with Al-Qadisiyah players after the match