Argentina vs Benin: Messi's farewell match on 6 October

One of football's greatest international careers comes to an end on Tuesday 6 October 2026. Lionel Messi will wear the Argentina shirt for the last time in a friendly against Benin at the iconic Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires. Here is everything you need to know about the farewell night, and about the African side that will share the pitch with him.

Argentina vs Benin: key facts

• Date: Tuesday 6 October 2026
• Venue: Estadio Monumental (River Plate's stadium), Buenos Aires
• Match type: international friendly
• Occasion: Lionel Messi's farewell match for Argentina

Why this is Messi's last game for Argentina

Messi announced his international retirement on 31 August 2026, a few weeks after Argentina lost the 2026 World Cup final 1-0 to Spain. Aged 39, he explained that he had given everything to the national team and that it was time for the younger generation to take over.

The Argentine Football Association then invited its captain back for one final appearance on home soil, and Messi accepted. The match against Benin will be his 208th and final cap. It is a one-off farewell, not a return to regular international duty.

A record-breaking international career

Since his debut in 2005, at just 18, Messi has scored 125 goals in 207 matches for Argentina. A World Cup winner in Qatar in 2022, he played in six World Cups and captained his country for many years, cementing his place among the greatest players of all time.

A night of tribute at the Monumental

Argentina plans to turn the game into a celebration. Members of the 2022 World Cup-winning squad have been invited to the Monumental with their families to honour their captain.

Messi will also wear a special shirt for the occasion, which he unveiled on social media: Argentina's classic sky blue and white, with his name and the number 10 in gold on the back, alongside the Sun of May.

Who are Benin?

For many fans around the world, this will be a first look at Benin, nicknamed the Cheetahs (Les Guépards). The West African side reached the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations in 2019 and the round of 16 in 2025, and is coached by the experienced German-French manager Gernot Rohr.

Benin arrive in Buenos Aires straight after two AFCON 2027 qualifiers, against Burkina Faso and Mauritania, which Rohr has made his clear priority. Captain Steve Mounié is injured, so all eyes will be on creative midfielder Junior Olaitan of Beşiktaş and new striker Joseph Ede Oloko, called up for the first time after a prolific season.

An African week for Argentina

Benin are not the only African visitors. Three days earlier, on 3 October, Argentina host Burkina Faso at the same stadium, after opening their international window against Bolivia in Córdoba on 30 September.

What to expect

On the pitch, Argentina will be clear favourites. But this night is about much more than the result: it is about emotion, history and a final goodbye. For Benin's players, sharing the pitch with Messi at the Monumental will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

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