Lionel Messi to play his last-ever Argentina match in October in friendly in Buenos Aires

The Argentinian legend will play his farewell game with the Albiceleste at the Monumental Sep 15, 2026 at 6:17 pm ET • 1 min read Getty Images Lionel Messi will play his last-ever match with Argentina on Oct. 6 against Benin at the Estadio Monumental of Buenos Aires after the Argentinian legend announced his retirement from the national team earlier this month. The team led by Lionel Scaloni will play three friendly matches during the international break starting next week, and Messi was included in the squad as Argentinian FA president Claudio Tapia announced on his social media, "We invited the best player in the world to play, the icon of our team, our captain Lionel Messi, to have a deserved farewell on ⁠October 6, here in Argentina." Alongside Messi, the 2022 world champions will also feature in the celebrations of the Argentinian icon. "Lionel Messi, Rodrigo De Paul, and Giovani Lo Celso will join the squad for the final friendly match on October 6th. The list of players called up from the domestic league will be announced on Friday", the statement said. Scaloni's squad will face Bolivia at the Mario Kempes Stadium on Sept. 30 in Cordoba before going to Buenos Aires to host Burkina Faso on Oct. ⁠3. The game against Bolivia will be played with a capacity reduced by 50% in the standings as part of the FIFA sanctions for what happened during the 2026 World Cup for the post-game altercation from Argentina players. Messi is also expected to see the field Wednesday, when Inter Miami face Cruz Azul in the Campeones Cup final at Miami's Nu Stadium.