02/10/2026
The end of an era is here. 💔🇦🇷
Football fans have a major emotional update to pay attention to today.
Lionel Messi will play his final game for Argentina on October 6, 2026, against Benin at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.
According to the Argentine Football Association, this friendly will give Argentina's captain a chance to say goodbye to the national team in front of the home crowd after announcing his retirement from international football following Argentina's 2026 World Cup final loss to Spain.
This will be Messi's 208th and final senior appearance after more than 20 years wearing the No. 10. The venue — River Plate's Monumental, capable of holding around 84,000 spectators — is expecting 85,000 fans to say goodbye to the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner.
Lionel Scaloni has included Messi in the squad specifically for this farewell. Tickets sold out in around 90 minutes. Adidas has also unveiled a special Farewell Kit with gold lettering for the occasion.
The Last Tango is at 8:00 p.m. local time on October 6. Are you ready to say goodbye?
