Lionel Messi will wear a specially designed commemorative shirt for his final international appearance representing Argentina against Benin on 6 October. The 39-year-old World Cup-winning captain, who formally announced his retirement from international football last month, unveiled the bespoke kit in an emotional video shared on his social media accounts. The match at the iconic Estadio Mâs Monumental in Buenos Aires marks the conclusion of an extraordinary international career spanning over two decades.
The custom-designed shirt blends classic aesthetics with unique symbolic touches. Featuring a light blue base dominated by a bold vertical white stripe down the centre, the kit stands out from standard national team attire. Gold typography highlights the players’ names and numbers on the reverse side, accompanied by an intricately styled ‘Sun of May’—Argentina’s national emblem. Messi shared a clip showing his boots alongside his traditional number 10 shirt being replaced by the new commemorative version, captioning it: “Final match… A lifelong commemorative shirt. Final battle… A lifelong commemorative garment.” The post sparked widespread reactions from the sporting world, with former Barcelona teammate Neymar responding with applause emojis and Argentine Formula One driver Franco Colapinto commenting, “If only you never had to leave. We will miss you terribly.”
Organised by the Argentine Football Association (AFA), the fixture forms part of a broader farewell schedule during the FIFA international window. Under manager Lionel Scaloni, Argentina will first face Bolivia in Córdoba on 30 September and Burkina Faso in Buenos Aires on 3 October, before concluding the series against Benin. AFA officials deliberately structured the international break to ensure the national hero bids farewell directly in front of a home crowd.
Demand for tickets to witness Messi’s international curtain-call has reached unprecedented levels. The AFA confirmed that ticket prices range from €52 to €278 depending on stadium seating tiers, with standard adult tickets priced at €104, €185, and €260. To accommodate families, special youth admission tickets have been made available for €17. Online sales are scheduled to open via the official AFA platform, with sports outlets predicting a swift sell-out as supporters scramble to secure a piece of footballing history.
