Lionel Messi is preparing to bring the curtain down on a remarkable 21-year international career, with Argentina bracing for an emotional farewell to one of the greatest players in football history.
The 39-year-old is expected to make his final appearance for Argentina against Benin on 6 October at the historic Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires. The venue, home of River Plate and capable of accommodating around 85,000 spectators, is set to provide the stage for the closing chapter of Messi’s extraordinary journey with the national team.
For Argentine supporters, the occasion represents far more than another international fixture. Messi has been at the centre of the national team for more than two decades, experiencing periods of disappointment and criticism before eventually leading Argentina to a remarkable run of major honours.
The anticipation surrounding the farewell has been reflected in the demand for tickets. Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni spoke about the extraordinary interest after the team’s match against Burkina Faso, joking that even five Monumental stadiums would have been filled.
“If there were five Monumental stadiums, they would all be full. I have received messages from everywhere,” Scaloni said. “I think everything has already been said. Now it is simply time to enjoy it.”
Scaloni, who has worked closely with Messi during one of the most successful periods in Argentina’s recent history, admitted that the occasion would be emotional for everyone involved. He expects Messi himself to feel the weight of the moment when he walks on to the Monumental pitch for what is expected to be his final appearance in the famous sky-blue and white shirt.
“I think everyone will be emotional. Messi will be too. The day he steps on to the Monumental pitch will be unforgettable for everyone. I am grateful to be part of this day,” Scaloni said.
The Argentina coach also wants the squad to make the most of the remaining time with their captain. Messi has two more training sessions with the team before the Benin fixture, giving the players and coaching staff a final opportunity to share time with him in the national-team environment.
Rather than allowing the significance of the farewell to become a burden, Scaloni believes the final moments should be appreciated. After so many years of competition, travel, pressure and major tournaments, Messi’s last days with Argentina are being approached as a time to savour his presence.
Messi made his international debut for Argentina in 2005. He has since accumulated 207 appearances and scored a record 125 goals for the national side. His international career has also been marked by a transformation in Argentina’s fortunes, particularly during Scaloni’s tenure.
Under Messi’s leadership, Argentina won the Copa América in 2021, ending a long wait for a major senior international trophy. The team followed that success by winning the Finalissima in 2022 and then claiming the World Cup in Qatar later that year. Argentina added another Copa América title in 2024, further strengthening Messi’s place in the country’s football history.
The match against Benin will take Messi to 208 international appearances for Argentina if he takes part as expected. Yet Scaloni believes his contribution cannot be measured through statistics and trophies alone.
For the Argentina coach, Messi’s greatest legacy is the example he has set through his commitment to the team. Scaloni pointed to the forward’s daily discipline, preparation and willingness to remain fully involved despite the demands of an exceptionally long career.
“His legacy is the desire to always be there. He was always the first to arrive and the last to leave. The way he looked after himself and prepared for every match—many people do not see these things, but his team-mates have. There could be no better example,” Scaloni said.
Those qualities, according to Scaloni, have made Messi’s influence extend well beyond his goals and individual achievements. His team-mates have seen first-hand the preparation required to compete at the highest level year after year, while his leadership has developed alongside his performances on the pitch.
That is why Scaloni believes the legacy Messi leaves behind cannot simply be reproduced by another player.
“He is leaving something behind that has no replacement,” the coach said.
Messi’s association with Argentina’s No. 10 shirt has also become part of the country’s football folklore. Following in the footsteps of Diego Maradona, he transformed the iconic number into a symbol of his own era, carrying the expectations of an entire nation through triumphs and difficult periods alike.
Now, the final chapter of that story is set to be written at home, in Buenos Aires, before thousands of supporters at the Monumental. For Argentina, Messi’s farewell will mark the end of an extraordinary international era—one defined not only by records and trophies, but also by a level of commitment that Scaloni believes will be impossible to replace.
