The legendary Argentina captain Lionel Messi will play his final international match on Tuesday, 6 October, in a friendly against Benin at the Estadio Mas Monumental in Buenos Aires.
Dubbed as ‘The Last Tango,’ the fixture will see the 39-year-old take the pitch for La Albiceleste one last time in front of a home crowd, joined by members of his 2022 FIFA World Cup-winning squad and their families to mark the occasion.
After his farewell match, Messi will return to the United States to rejoin his club .
Messi, who formally announced his retirement from international football on 31 August, is bowing out just over two months after Argentina suffered a defeat to Spain in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final in New Jersey.
Despite the recent loss, Messi exits as the most decorated figure in Argentine football history. He holds all-time national records for appearances (207), goals (125), and assists (68).
La Pulga’s international trophy cabinet includes the 2022 FIFA World Cup title, back-to-back Copa America triumphs in 2021 and 2024, the 2022 Finalissima, and a Beijing 2008 Olympic gold medal.
While the spotlight remains on the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, the match will also serve as a farewell for veteran defender Nicolas Otamendi, who is set to retire.
Additionally, reports suggest that midfielders and Giovani Lo Celso could also be making their final appearances for the national team.
Paolo Dybala and Mahuel Nolina, however, won’t be able to attend the match, as their club, AS Roma, did not allow them to.
Currently ranked world No. 2, Argentina will face an 89th-ranked Benin side. The African team is managed by Gernot Rohr, who previously led Nigeria during the 2018 World Cup.
For Indian fans looking to tune in, the match will kick off in the early hours of Wednesday morning, October 7.
Match time: 4:30 AM IST (Wednesday)
Kicks off: 4:30 AM IST (Wednesday)
Live Streaming: ZEE5
There is no live telecast of Lionel Messi’s farewell match on any TV channel in India.
Messi, who made his Argentina debut in August 2005 in a friendly against Hungary, has scored 125 goals in 207 appearances.
His major achievements with Argentina include winning the in 2022 and also clinching the Copa America twice, in 2021 and 2024. Argentina finished as runners-up in the 2026 FIFA World Cup after suffering a 1-0 loss to Spain in the final at the New York New Jersey Stadium.
Messi scored eight goals and registered four assists during the 48-team tournament that was jointly hosted by the USA, Mexico and Canada.
He also broke the all-time goals record in FIFA World Cup history, surpassing former Germany international Miroslav Klose’s 16 goals.
However, Messi later lost that record to France’s Kylian Mbappe, who has scored 22 FIFA World Cup goals thus far. Messi, on the other hand, ended his World Cup career with 21 goals.
