The Last Night at the Monumental: Messi's Ciao
Why it matters
The match against Benin represents a historic moment for Argentine football, marking the farewell of Lionel Messi, an icon not only for Argentina but for the entire world. This match is not just a friendly match, but a tribute to an extraordinary career that inspired millions of fans. Messi's presence on the pitch will have a significant impact on the match, making it memorable for everyone present at the Monumental.
Context
Lionel Messi, considered the best footballer of his generation, has had a lasting impact on Argentine and world football. His last appearance with the Albiceleste shirt, scheduled for 6 October 2026, is awaited with great emotion by the fans, who hope to see one last memorable performance before his retirement from the national team.
Key points
- The Last Night at the Monumental: Messi's Ciao.
- Lionel Messi's farewell match with Argentina will be played on 6 October 2026 against Benin at the Monumental in Buenos Aires.
- One Last Night at the Monumental: Messi's Argentina Farewell vs. Benin With Serie A Stars In Attendance.
All good things come to an end. That's life and that's football. Lionel Messi was the best footballer of his generation, and probably beyond, with very few others who can stand at the same heights. Now we bid farewell to the GOAT, at least in international football. October 6, 2026 will be the last time we will be able to see the little Argentine wearing the Albiceleste shirt 10. On that date, in that match that promises to be historic, Messi and his teammates will face Benin at the Estadio Monumental of River Plate in Buenos Aires. This friendly will serve as a farewell match, and all tickets for the gigantic 85,000-seat stadium have sold out. Messi's last match for Argentina will not be against any of the national team's historic rivals, but it will have a special meaning for many. The Argentina-Benin match is in fact one of the three that the Argentine national team will play in October, together with the one against Bolivia in Córdoba on 30 September and the one against Burkina Faso on 3 October. For most fans of the Argentine superstar, Messi's last match with the national team was considered to be the one against Spain, played during the 2026 World Cup. The defeat in the final against the Iberians was hard to digest for the whole nation, and Messi was no exception. In fact, at the MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey, Ferran Torres scored in the 106th minute to give Spain another world cup trophy. It seemed that even for Messi, Argentina was destined to lose the final with the same score as the other final, the one in 2014 against Germany, i.e. 1 to 0. The last final, however, was even more bitter, given that the entire team only managed two shots in the whole match (0.2 xG). It was a painful defeat, and due to its severity and Messi's advanced age, both fans and commentators believed that this was the champion's last appearance for the national team. Luckily for us, however, we were all wrong. Not even Messi's farewell message took this date and this meeting into account. Just two days after the World Cup final, Messi published a farewell message on social media. He decided to do so only after his family, especially his father, had secured themselves, given that Messi's father had had health problems. In fact, on 31 August, Messi presented himself publicly and said: "After much reflection, after a long time since the final, I want to inform everyone that I am giving up on the national team". His message was full of emotion and pain, but it felt right, so much so that it ended with a phrase of thanks: "Thank you God for making me Argentine." Messi is not one to backtrack, but on this occasion he did so for the right reasons. His resignation from the national team will only become official after he has played the match against Benin. The Argentine Football Federation wanted to organize this farewell match, but not just any match. After more than twenty years of career, which culminated with the victory of the 2022 World Cup and with victories in the Copa America in 2021 and 2024, it was right that the best footballer ever received an appropriate tribute. As the president of the AFA, Claudio Tapia, declared: "We have decided to invite the best footballer in the world, the symbol of our national team, our captain, Lionel Messi, to have the tribute he deserves, here in Argentina, on 6 October." If for the AFA and for Lionel Scaloni, coach of Argentina, it is important that Messi plays in this match, for Messi himself it is important to be able to take the field in a match that takes place in his homeland and, above all, in the largest sports facility in the nation and the largest in America, the Estadio Monumental. Messi will not only say goodbye to the fans, but also to his teammates. And in this regard, Lionel Scaloni has called up 35 players for these three friendly matches. This number is significantly higher than that needed to play normal friendlies. The reason why so many players have been called up is that, while the match against Benin is considered a farewell match for Messi, the other two friendlies, the one against Bolivia and the one against Burkina Faso, also have a purpose, and that is to prepare the national team for the post-Messi era. Scaloni has in fact called up all the players he has decided to rely on for the future, together with some promising young players, and has practically called up the entire team that won the World Cup in 2022. The players called up, in addition to Messi obviously, were: Emiliano Martínez, Giovani Lo Celso, Juan Musso, Exequiel Palacios, Gerónimo Rulli, Rodrigo De Paul, Agustín Giay, Nicolás Paz, Leandro Paredes, Franco Mastantuono, Cristian Romero, Matías Soulé, Lisandro Martínez, Giuliano Simeone, Juan Foyth, Nicolás González, Facundo Medina, Gianluca Prestianni, Nicolás Tagliafico, José Manuel López, Román Vega, Santiago Castro, Enzo Fernández, Julián Álvarez, Alexis Mac Allister and Lautaro Martínez. It is interesting to note that players such as Angel Di Maria, Guido Rodríguez and Germán Pezzella are expected at Messi's farewell match, but not to play, but to make an appearance. This is also the case for Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina, who however for different reasons will not be present at Messi's farewell match. However, it is expected that there will be some players who were not called up but who were close to Messi during his career, such as Boca Juniors goalkeeper Sergio Romero. It is said that Romero is very keen to participate in the event and that the AFA should allow a special entry for him. Nineteen years ago, on 17 August 2005, Messi made his debut for Argentina in a friendly against Ecuador. Since that day he has made 208 appearances for the national team, becoming the most capped player in the history of the Albiceleste. He scored 125 goals, again an all-time record for Argentina. In second place in the Argentine scorers' list is Gabriel Batistuta, with 54 goals. Furthermore, Messi provided 68 assists. His career with the national team was simply extraordinary, and has no equal in the history of football. No player has played more matches in official FIFA competitions, and here we are talking about World Cups and America's Cups, than Messi has played, i.e. 34, and no one has scored more goals than him in FIFA competitions: 21. He has also provided 12 assists. It's an international career that will be difficult, if not impossible, to match, and if you're Argentinian it's a source of pride to know that your country was the birthplace of two of the greatest footballers in history, Diego Armando Maradona and Lionel Messi. But if for Argentine fans it is a source of pride to know that their compatriots are the best in the world, for the rest of the planet it is a source of pride to have a player like Messi alive who offers incredible emotions and plays. And precisely to pay homage to Messi, one of the largest sports companies in the world, Adidas, has decided to create a special shirt for the occasion. This shirt that will be worn by Messi in his farewell match will be unlike any other shirt worn by a footballer in the history of football. Messi himself published a post on his social media in which he announced that this shirt would be a shirt for a lifetime. The shirt, in addition to featuring the classic white and light blue design of Argentina shirts, also features golden details and some commemorative features. The famous Argentine Sun, symbol of the nation, appears on both the front and back of the shirt. Furthermore, next to the Adidas logo, the letter M will appear which stands for Messi. The number 10 and Messi's name will be surrounded by golden decorations. In short, it is a truly glorious outfit, and it must be said that Adidas has decided to pay homage to Messi like no one else has done, nor is it expected that other companies will do so in the future. It has been decided that for high-value matches, such as the finals, Messi will always wear special shirts. This was the case in the 2024 Copa America final, when Messi wore a special shirt that has not been worn on any other occasion. This was also the case in the Champions League final, when Messi played for PSG and Adidas created a special shirt for him on that occasion. And now it's the last chance, the farewell match, and Adidas has created an unprecedented shirt for Messi. Messi's farewell match promises to be a historic event. Not just for Argentine football, but for football in general. It is difficult to think that there will be another player in the history of football who will have the same impact that Messi has had. And in this regard, bets are also moving for this event. The online betting house Stake, which is famous for following sporting events of all kinds and offering interesting odds, has decided to create a special promo for Messi's farewell match. The promo is based on just one question: will Messi score the first goal of the match? If the answer is yes, you can bet on this eventuality at an increased odds. Each Stake user can place only one bet on this odds, with an amount ranging from one cent up to a maximum of 5 dollars. It is a bet that can only be made once and cannot be combined with other bets. Furthermore, the possibility of placing this bet may vary from user to user. In short, it is a bet that bets everything on one man, given that it is a match that will have Messi as its only protagonist. His teammates will also aim to make him score, and it is expected that the opposing players will also want to pay homage to him, unlike what happened in the World Cup where everyone tried to stop him. However, it is right to be careful when betting on Messi, because there are factors to take into consideration. In fact, no one knows how many minutes Messi will play, and no one knows how much effort he will put into playing. It's still a friendly match, and players usually don't give their all in friendly matches. But it is still Messi's last match with the national team, so it is reasonable to expect at least a minimum commitment from him. But be careful, if someone were to score before him, the bet obviously wouldn't win.
What happens now
After the match against Benin, Argentina will face two other teams, Burkina Faso and Bolivia, in October, which could affect their preparations for the 2026 World Cup. The national team will look to maintain high morale and build a competitive team for the future, as fans prepare to say goodbye to Messi. This match could also influence the club teams' season, with key players likely to be involved in these friendlies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Argentina's recent form?
Argentina will play three matches in October, including the friendly against Benin on 6 October 2026.
What are the absences or injuries for the match against Benin?
There are no specific injuries or absences mentioned for the match against Benin.
What is the importance of the Argentina-Benin match?
The match against Benin will be Lionel Messi's last with the Argentine national team, making it historic.
Where will the Argentina-Benin match take place?
The match will take place at River Plate's Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.
When will Messi's last match with Argentina be played?
Messi's last match with Argentina will be played on 6 October 2026.
