Argentina: Argentina have named Lionel Messi in their squad for a friendly against Benin in October in a match which is set to be the forward's farewell to international football. Messi announced his retirement from Argentina duty in August following his country's defeat by Spain in the 2026 World Cup final, and after contemplating his future in football due to the death of his father, Jorge.
According to Ghana Web, the 39-year-old, who led Argentina to victory in the 2022 World Cup, expressed that the decision to retire from La Albiceleste was painful but emphasized that he had "given it my all" and had "nothing left to give." Messi, currently playing for Inter Miami, is recognized as Argentina's all-time leading scorer and most-capped player, with 125 goals in 207 appearances.
Claudio Tapia, the president of the Argentine FA, stated, "We made the decision to invite the best player in the world, the symbol of our national team, our captain, Lionel Andres Messi, so that he can have the farewell he truly deserves on 6 October here in Argentina." The farewell match will take place at River Plate's Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, which boasts an 85,000 capacity.
The friendly against Benin will also feature Argentina's 2022 World Cup winners, aiming to create what Tapia described as an "unforgettable" occasion. However, Argentina faces a penalty that requires them to play their next two home matches at 50% capacity due to breaches of the Fifa disciplinary code during the World Cup. This punishment, linked to non-sporting demonstrations, team misconduct, and discriminatory behavior by supporters, will likely be fulfilled before the Benin game, as Argentina has scheduled friendlies against Bolivia and Burkina Faso on 30 September and 3 October, respectively.
Additionally, Argentina will be without midfielder Leandro Paredes and teammate Nahuel Molina, who received 10-game and seven-match suspensions, respectively, for their involvement in on-field clashes after the World Cup final defeat by Spain.