Lionel Messi has joined the Argentina squad at Ezeiza ahead of Tuesday’s farewell friendly against Benin in Buenos Aires, as the captain prepares for what is expected to be his final appearance in the famous Albiceleste shirt.
For Messi, the occasion represents far more than another international fixture. It marks the closing chapter of a 21-year journey that began with enormous expectations, passed through painful disappointments and criticism, and ultimately ended with him delivering the major trophies Argentina had long craved.
The 39-year-old forward arrived at the national team’s training base on Sunday as Argentina continued preparations for the historic farewell at the Estadio Monumental.
The match is expected to give thousands of supporters the opportunity to celebrate a player who has become inseparable from Argentina’s football identity.
Messi’s international story was not always filled with celebrations. After making his senior debut in 2005, he spent years carrying the weight of expectations from a country that had won the World Cup with Diego Maradona in 1986 and had been waiting for another generation to deliver global glory.
Despite establishing himself as one of the greatest players in football history, Messi endured several painful setbacks with Argentina. He lost three major finals between 2014 and 2016, the 2014 World Cup final against Germany and back-to-back Copa América finals against Chile.
The criticism became particularly intense after the 2016 Copa América final, when Messi announced his decision to retire from international football before eventually reversing that decision.
In 2021, Messi finally lifted his first major senior international trophy with Argentina after beating Brazil in the Copa América final at the Maracanã. A year later came the defining moment of his international career, the 2022 FIFA World Cup triumph in Qatar.
Messi scored seven goals during the tournament and scored twice in the final against France before Argentina eventually prevailed on penalties. The victory completed the trophy that had eluded him for so long and transformed the conversation around his international legacy.
His collection of honours with Argentina would later grow to include another Copa América title and the Finalissima, while his individual record reached 125 goals in 207 appearances ahead of the farewell.
Argentina’s decision to stage the farewell at the Monumental is therefore being presented as a celebration of the journey rather than simply the end of a playing career.
AFA president Claudio Tapia said the occasion was designed to give the captain the farewell he deserves.
“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 October 6 here in Argentina,” Tapia said.
Several of Messi’s long-time Argentina teammates, including Giovani Lo Celso, Rodrigo De Paul and Nicolás Otamendi, are expected to be part of the occasion.
However, fellow 2022 World Cup winners Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina will reportedly miss the celebration after their club, AS Roma, prevented them from travelling.
Argentina’s preparations have also continued on a strong note following victories over Bolivia and Burkina Faso, but Tuesday’s encounter will carry a different significance as attention turns from competition to celebration.
The hosts are expected to wear a special one-off kit featuring the Sun of May and laurel branches around the iconic number 10.
Once the final whistle sounds at the Monumental, Messi’s attention will return to Inter Miami, where he remains under contract through the end of the 2028 MLS campaign.
For Argentina, however, the bigger challenge will be what comes next.
For two decades, Messi has been the face, captain and creative heartbeat of the national team. His departure will leave a huge space to fill, but his journey has also left behind a generation that learned to believe in Argentina again.
From the teenager who made his debut amid comparisons with Maradona, through years of heartbreak and criticism, to the captain who finally lifted the World Cup in Qatar, Messi’s Argentina story has been one of persistence, redemption and historic achievement.
Tuesday’s farewell against Benin will therefore not simply mark the end of Messi’s international career. It will be Argentina’s opportunity to say goodbye to the player who spent more than two decades carrying its famous blue and white shirt and eventually gave the country its greatest prize.