One last dance for the captain – Lionel Messi was on Tuesday named in Argentina's squad for a friendly against Benin on October 6, a match that will serve as his farewell appearance after announcing his international retirement last month.
Argentine Football Association (AFA) president Claudio 'Chiqui' Tapia said in a video on X that coach Lionel Scaloni had called up the 39-year-old Messi "so that he can have the farewell he truly deserves... here in Argentina."
"We made the decision to invite the best player in the world, the symbol of our national team, our captain, Lionel Andrés Messi, so that he can have the farewell he truly deserves on October 6 here in Argentina," said Argentine FA president Claudio Tapia.
The match against Benin will take place at River Plate's Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, which can accommodate 85,000 spectators, confirmed Tapia.
The AFA chief also said that all of Argentina's 2022 World Cup winners would be invited to join Messi for what he said would be an "unforgettable" occasion.
Joining Messi will be Franco Armani, Nahuel Molina, Gonzalo Montiel, Germán Pezzella, Nicolás Otamendi, Marcos Acuña, Leandro Paredes, Guido Rodríguez, Alejandro Gómez, Exequiel Palacios, Thiago Almada, Ángel Di María, Paulo Dybala and Ángel Correa.
Messi announced in August he was retiring from Argentina duty after a two-decade international career that included winning the 2022 World Cup and Copa América triumphs in 2021 and 2024.
Three matches
Argentina begin a series of three friendlies against Bolivia on September 30 in Córdoba – their first match since losing the World Cup final to Spain – before taking on Burkina Faso in the capital on October 3.
Messi has been included in the squad for the third match against Benin, when he is expected to make his 208th and final appearance for the national team. He is Argentina's all-time record scorer with 125 goals.
Following the death of his father Jorge last month, Messi had said he had "serious doubts" about continuing to play football of any sort for "much longer."
"It was a decision that hurt and still hurts deep in my soul but I understand that it is the right time," Messi said at the time.
The star's contract with Major League Soccer club Inter Miami runs until the end of the 2028 season.
Last month FIFA ordered Argentina to play their next home match with 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.
After Argentina beat England 2-1 in a tense World Cup semi-final in July, several players held up a banner saying "The Malvinas are Argentine" – a reference to the nation's sovereignty dispute with the UK.
The 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, while defender Nahuel Molina was suspended for seven games and Thiago Almada for one.
Full squad list
Scaloni on Tuesday announced the squad for the friendlies against Bolivia, Burkina Faso and Benin.
AFA's account confirmed hat Rodrigo De Paul and Giovanni Lo Celso, like Messi, will only play in the match on October 6 against Benin.
Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martínez, Juan Musso and Gerónimo Rulli
Defenders: Agustín Giay, Leonardo Balerdi, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martínez, Juan Foyth, Facundo Medina, Nicolás Tagliafico and Román Vega;
Midfielders: Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister, Valentín Barco, Giovani Lo Celso, Exequiel Palacios, Rodrigo De Paul, Nicolás Pax and Franco Mastantuono; and
Forwards: Matías Soulé, Giuliano Simeone, Nicolás González, Gianluca Prestianni, José Manuel López, Santiago Castro, Julián Álvarez, Lautaro Martínez and Lionel Messi.
– TIMES/AFP/NA
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