Lionel Messi will pull on the Argentina shirt for the final time on Tuesday, October 6, 2026.
The international friendly match will be played between Argentina and Benin at the Estadio Más Monumental in Buenos Aires.
The kick-off is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. local time (4:00 a.m. PKT on October 7).
In the United States, the match can be viewed via ViX and Prime Video. In the United Kingdom, it will be aired on Premier Sports 2. In France, the streaming is available via L’Équipe while Brazilian fans can view it on GE TV.
The match marks the end of a 21-year international career for the 39-year-old. Messi announced his retirement from national duty on August 31, six weeks after Argentina’s World Cup final defeat to Spain, saying “The time has come.”
Messi is Argentina’s most-capped player and record goalscorer, with 125 goals in 208 appearances. Among them, 21 were scored at World Cups.
His trophy haul includes the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Copa America titles in 2021 and 2024, and an Olympic gold medal in 2008. He is also the first man to start three World Cup finals.
The Argentina Football Association has named the match as “The Night That No One Wants to End,” saying it will “transcend sports.” Nearly the entire 2022 World Cup-winning squad has been invited, and thousands of fans are expected to fill the Monumental.
Coach Lionel Scaloni paid tribute: “Messi leaves behind something unequaled. I’ve never seen anyone else convey what he does on a football field.”
Messi continues at club level with Inter Miami, where his contract runs through the 2028 season.
2026-10-06 18:38:00
