🚨🇦🇷 OFFICIAL: Lionel Messi Included in Argentina Squad for Emotional International Farewell

Lionel Messi is officially set to wear the Argentina shirt one more time.

The 39-year-old has been included in Lionel Scaloni’s latest Argentina squad after announcing his retirement from international football following the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Messi’s inclusion is not the beginning of another international chapter. Instead, it is the final page of one of the greatest careers in Argentina’s history, with the superstar expected to make his farewell appearance in front of the home supporters.

Messi Set for Final Argentina Appearance

The Argentina Football Association has included Messi in the squad for the upcoming friendly window, with the captain scheduled to feature in the final match of the series against Benín on October 6 at the Monumental in Buenos Aires.

Argentina will also face Bolivia on September 30 in Córdoba and Burkina Faso on October 3 at the Monumental.

Messi, Rodrigo De Paul and Giovani Lo Celso have been called specifically for the farewell fixture against Benín, according to reports surrounding the official squad announcement.

That means the Monumental is set to become the stage for Messi’s final appearance in the famous blue-and-white shirt.

A Career That Changed Argentina Forever

Messi’s international journey has already produced a legacy few players can match.

After years of heartbreak with Argentina, the forward finally ended the wait for major international silverware by helping the country win the 2021 Copa América.

He then added the 2022 Finalissima and, most importantly, the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

The 2026 World Cup became his final major tournament with Argentina, with the captain leading the team all the way to the final before Spain claimed the trophy.

Messi subsequently confirmed his decision to retire from international football on August 31, bringing an end to his Argentina career. FIFA reported that Messi described the decision as the closing of a chapter he had given everything to.

One Last Night at the Monumental

The October 6 fixture against Benín will therefore carry significance far beyond an ordinary international friendly.

Messi will have the opportunity to say goodbye to Argentina supporters on home soil, surrounded by teammates and members of the generation with whom he achieved the biggest honours in the country's modern football history.

The AFA has also planned for members of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning squad to attend the occasion with their families, adding another emotional element to the farewell.

For Argentine supporters, it will be the final opportunity to see Messi represent the national team in a competitive football setting.

The End of Argentina's Messi Era

For more than a decade, Messi's name has been inseparable from Argentina.

From the early disappointments to the Copa América triumph, World Cup glory and his final tournament appearance in 2026, his international career has gone through almost every possible chapter.

Now, the final one is approaching.

October 6 at the Monumental will not be about another trophy or another qualifying campaign. It will be about celebrating the player who became Argentina's captain, record goalscorer and one of the defining figures in the country's football history.

Lionel Messi's international story is almost over.

But Argentina is preparing one last goodbye.

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