Argentina on Edge as Messi Ends International Career Today

Lionel Messi will play his final match for Argentina today, bringing an emotional end to more than two decades with the national team.

Damilare Adebayo · October 6, 2026 · 60

Argentina is preparing for an emotional farewell as Lionel Messi makes his final appearance for the national team today, October 6, in a friendly against Benin at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.

The match is expected to draw a sell-out crowd of about 85,000 spectators, with supporters gathering to celebrate the career of a player who has become one of the defining figures in Argentine football.

Messi, 39, announced his retirement from international football in August following Argentina’s 2026 World Cup campaign. He will now wear the famous blue-and-white shirt for the final time before handing over the captaincy and beginning a new chapter away from the national team.

The farewell marks the end of an international career that began with his senior debut in 2005. Messi leaves as Argentina’s record appearance-maker and all-time leading scorer, having recorded 207 appearances and 125 goals before the Benin match.

His international journey included periods of intense criticism before he eventually became one of the country’s most celebrated sporting figures. He helped Argentina win the Copa América in 2021 and 2024, the Finalissima in 2022 and the FIFA World Cup in Qatar later that year.

He also featured at the 2026 World Cup, where Argentina reached the final before losing to Spain after extra time. Messi finished the tournament with eight goals and four assists.

Several members of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning squad are expected to join him for the farewell, alongside younger players who will now face the challenge of carrying the national team into a new era.

Coach Lionel Scaloni has indicated that Argentina’s iconic No. 10 shirt will not immediately be reassigned, underscoring the significance of Messi’s departure.

For millions of Argentines, today’s game is more than a friendly. It is the final opportunity to see their captain represent the national team on home soil and the closing chapter of one of the longest and most decorated international careers in football history.