Lionel Messi has officially been included in Argentina's squad for the upcoming international window, paving the way for the legendary forward to make his farewell appearance for the national team.
The Argentine Football Association confirmed that Messi is part of Lionel Scaloni's squad for a series of three friendlies, with the 39-year-old expected to feature specifically in the October 6 meeting with Benin at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.
The inclusion comes just weeks after Messi announced his retirement from international football.
Argentina's decision to call him back is designed to give the captain an opportunity to say goodbye to supporters on home soil rather than ending his international career without a formal farewell.
AFA president Claudio Tapia said the association invited Messi after discussions with head coach Lionel Scaloni so that the Argentina captain could receive the farewell the federation believes he deserves.
Messi's 'Last Dance' With Argentina
Messi's return is not a reversal of his retirement decision.
Instead, the October 6 match against Benin is being organised as a farewell appearance.
The former Barcelona star announced in August that he was retiring from international football after more than two decades representing Argentina.
His final competitive appearance came during Argentina's 2026 World Cup campaign, but the AFA wanted him to have the opportunity to play once more in front of his home supporters.
That opportunity will come at River Plate's Estadio Monumental, one of Argentina's most important football venues.
The stadium can accommodate around 85,000 spectators and is expected to provide the setting for an emotional night as Argentina supporters bid farewell to the player who has captained the country through one of the most successful periods in its history.
Only One of Argentina's Three Friendlies
Argentina will play three friendlies during the upcoming international window.
The team will first face Bolivia on September 30 at the Mario Alberto Kempes Stadium in Córdoba.
That will be followed by a meeting with Burkina Faso in Buenos Aires on October 3.
The final fixture will see Argentina face Benin at the Monumental on October 6.
Messi's inclusion is specifically linked to the Benin match, meaning supporters are expected to see him make his final appearance in the famous blue-and-white shirt that night.
Rodrigo De Paul and Giovani Lo Celso have also been included for the final fixture against Benin, according to the AFA's squad announcement.
Messi Expected to Make His 208th Appearance
The Benin match is expected to become Messi's 208th appearance for Argentina.
He currently holds the country's record for international appearances and is also Argentina's all-time leading goalscorer, with 125 goals in 207 matches.
That means Messi will leave the national team with records that are unlikely to be challenged in the immediate future.
His Argentina career began in 2005 when he made his senior debut as a teenager.
Over the following two decades, he became the centrepiece of several generations of the national team.
There were difficult periods along the way, including defeats in major finals, but Messi eventually helped Argentina end a long wait for major international silverware.
From International Heartbreak to World Cup Glory
Messi's relationship with Argentina was complicated during the early part of his senior international career.
Although he was already one of the world's best players at club level, success with the national team proved difficult to achieve.
Argentina reached the 2014 World Cup final in Brazil, where Germany defeated them 1-0 after extra time.
The team then lost consecutive Copa América finals in 2015 and 2016.
Those disappointments placed enormous pressure on Messi and his international career.
The story changed in 2021.
Argentina defeated Brazil 1-0 in the Copa América final at the Maracanã, giving Messi his first major senior international trophy with the country.
He and Argentina then followed that success by winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Messi scored twice in the final against France before Argentina eventually prevailed on penalties after a 3-3 draw.
That World Cup victory became one of the defining moments of his career.
Argentina subsequently won another Copa América title in 2024, further strengthening Messi's international record.
Argentina's 2022 World Cup Winners Invited
The farewell will also be a celebration of the group that helped Messi achieve his biggest international success.
Tapia has invited members of Argentina's 2022 World Cup-winning squad to attend the October 6 occasion, with their families also expected to be part of the celebration.
That squad included several players who became closely associated with Messi's final international years.
Players such as Emiliano Martínez, Nicolás Otamendi, Rodrigo De Paul, Ángel Di María and Julián Álvarez played important roles during Argentina's successful campaign in Qatar.
The reunion will give supporters an opportunity to see Messi alongside teammates with whom he finally achieved the World Cup triumph that had eluded Argentina for decades.
A Different Ending to His Argentina Career
Messi's international retirement initially appeared to mean that his last Argentina appearance would be the 2026 World Cup final.
Argentina lost that final to Spain, meaning Messi's final competitive match for the national team ended with disappointment.
The decision to include him for the Benin friendly changes the setting of his final appearance.
Instead of leaving international football immediately after a major tournament defeat, Messi will now have a dedicated farewell in Buenos Aires.
The match will allow Argentina supporters to celebrate his career rather than simply remember the final result of the World Cup.
Messi's own comments after announcing his retirement indicated how difficult the decision was for him.
He said the decision hurt deeply but that he understood it was the right time to bring his Argentina career to an end.
What Messi Leaves Behind
Messi's Argentina career has produced a remarkable list of achievements.
He is the country's record appearance holder, its leading scorer and the captain who lifted the World Cup trophy in 2022.
He also won the Copa América in 2021 and 2024.
His international career spans more than 20 years, taking him from an emerging teenage talent to the established leader of Argentina's national team.
His final appearance against Benin will therefore close one of the longest and most successful chapters in Argentina's modern football history.
The national team will now have to move into a new era without its longtime captain and record goalscorer.
Scaloni will eventually have to determine how Argentina redistributes the attacking and leadership responsibilities that Messi has carried for so long.
For now, however, the focus remains on October 6.
Monumental Set for Messi's Final Argentina Appearance
The October 6 friendly against Benin is expected to become a major occasion for Argentine football.
Messi will walk onto the Monumental pitch wearing Argentina's colours for what is expected to be the final time.
For supporters, it will be an opportunity to see their captain one last time before he steps away from international football.
For Messi, it will provide a chance to close his Argentina career in front of the fans who followed his journey from his teenage debut through the difficult years and ultimately to World Cup glory.
The AFA has already described the occasion as the farewell Messi deserves, while FIFA has confirmed that the Benin match will be his final Argentina appearance.
After 207 appearances and 125 goals, one final game remains.
Lionel Messi's last dance with Argentina is set for October 6 at the Monumental against Benin.
