Lionel Messi is preparing for his final match in Argentina’s sky blue-and-white jersey this Tuesday, marking an emotional conclusion to his illustrious 21-year international career. The 39-year-old icon will take the pitch against Benin at Buenos Aires’ Estadio Monumental, where an estimated 85,000 fans are expected to fill South America’s largest stadium to witness his final international performance. Millions more are slated to follow the broadcast from home. Some 85,000 Argentina fans will be on hand to watch the 39-year-old idol perform his wizardry in a friendly against Benin that brings down the curtain on his 21-year international career.
Reflecting on his decision, which he announced in August, Messi stated, “I gave it my all; I have nothing left to give, and besides, there are great young players coming up who deserve their chance.” He participated in his concluding training session at the Ezeiza complex on Monday, where fans like retail worker Nahuel Nieva gathered to catch a final glimpse of the legend. While Messi remains under contract with Inter Miami until 2028, he recently indicated that the passing of his father, Jorge, two months ago has led him to consider retiring from professional football sooner than he previously planned. That’s it,” Nahuel Nieva, a retail worker who took the day off work to watch his hero train, told the media, you can’t ask for more.
As the team transitions into a new era, captaincy responsibilities are set to shift to defender Cristian “Cuti” Romero. The squad is already demonstrating resilience and promise; in recent friendlies without Messi, Argentina secured a 4-0 victory over Bolivia and a 7-0 rout of Burkina Faso, the latter featuring first international goals from emerging talents Franco Mastantuono and Gianluca Prestianni. These performances follow a difficult period for the squad, which included a loss to Spain in this year’s World Cup final—a match that resulted in disciplinary fines and bans for several Argentine players due to aggressive conduct. And who will lead the post-Messi team, will play in the game, including defender Cristian “Cuti” Romero, midfielders Alexis Mac Allister and Enzo Fernandez and forwards Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez, several of the teammates with whom he reached football’s pinnacle in Qatar. Minus Messi, Argentina thrashed Bolivia 4-0 in a friendly in Cordoba on Wednesday before running rings around Burkina Faso on Saturday at Monumental stadium, in their first games since the World Cup final last week.
Messi’s departure leaves a monumental void. He retires as Argentina’s record appearance-maker, having tallied 207 caps, and as the nation’s all-time leading scorer with 125 goals and a record 68 assists. His tenure with the Albiceleste was marked by significant achievements, including the 2022 World Cup title that solidified his legacy, as well as victories in the 2005 World Youth Championship, the 2008 Olympics, the 2021 and 2024 Copa America, and the 2022 Finalissima. These successes were interspersed with painful defeats, most notably the 2014 World Cup final against Germany, the 2016 Copa America final loss to Chile, and the recent disappointment against Spain.
A lingering question ahead of Tuesday’s fixture is the future of Messi’s iconic number 10 jersey. Coach Lionel Scaloni confirmed the team will maintain a period of transition regarding the shirt, noting, “Until Leo’s game, we won’t give the number 10 to anyone. After that, we’ll see.” No effort has been spared for the sendoff of a player considered one of the game’s greatest ever. Some of whom weren’t even alive when Messi debuted with the team in 2005, are auspicious, coach Lionel Scaloni has vowed to try fill the “void” left by his talismanic captain and the signs from the next generation.
