Lionel Messi will receive a formal farewell on the international stage after Argentina named him in their squad for a friendly against Benin, scheduled for 6 October at River Plate's Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.

The 85,000-capacity stadium will host what is expected to be Messi's final appearance in an Argentina shirt, with the Argentine FA extending invitations to all members of the country's 2022 World Cup-winning squad to attend the occasion.

Argentine FA president Claudio Tapia confirmed the decision in emphatic terms. "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 6 October here in Argentina," Tapia said, calling the evening an "unforgettable" occasion.

A retirement that hurt deeply

Messi, 39, announced his retirement from international duty in August, following Argentina's defeat by Spain in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final. The announcement came in the aftermath of the death of his father, Jorge, which prompted the Inter Miami forward to reflect on his future in the game.

In stepping away from La Albiceleste, Messi acknowledged the emotional weight of his decision. He said the choice hurt him "deeply" but that he had "given it my all" and had "nothing left to give" to the national team.

The numbers behind his career with Argentina tell an extraordinary story. Messi finishes as his country's all-time leading scorer and most-capped player, having netted 125 goals across 207 appearances. He also claimed eight Ballon d'Or awards across his career and captained Argentina to their 2022 World Cup triumph.

Sanctions and squad absentees

Argentina must navigate disciplinary matters before the Benin friendly takes place. FIFA sanctioned the federation for breaches of their disciplinary code during the World Cup — including using a sports event for demonstrations of a non-sporting nature, team misconduct, and discriminatory chants and gestures by supporters — ordering that their next two home matches be played at 50% capacity, though one match of that sanction was suspended.

Argentina are due to play friendlies against Bolivia in Cordoba on 30 September and against Burkina Faso in Buenos Aires on 3 October. Those fixtures should fulfil the sanction ahead of the Benin match.

It is worth noting that the Bolivia fixture follows controversy from the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final, in which Argentina defeated England 2-1. After that victory, several Argentina players displayed a banner asserting Argentine sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, a British overseas territory — an act that contributed to the sanctions.

Midfielder Leandro Paredes and defender Nahuel Molina are unlikely to feature, however. Both received suspensions — 10 games and seven matches respectively — for their involvement in on-field clashes following Argentina's defeat by Spain in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final.