Lionel Messi to play farewell match in Argentina on October 6

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Argentine legend Lionel Messi has been selected in the national squad for upcoming exhibition matches, offering him the chance to bid farewell to home supporters after announcing his retirement from international football.

According to the official AFA release, the Argentina national team will host three friendlies across the country from September 21 to October 6.

Lionel Scaloni’s squad will take on Bolivia on September 30 at the Mario Alberto Kempes stadium in Cordoba province. The remaining two fixtures will be staged at River Plate’s stadium, starting with a match against Burkina Faso on October 3, followed by a final clash against Benin on October 6.

Messi, along with Rodrigo De Paul and Giovani Lo Celso, will take part in the final friendly on October 6, giving the 39-year-old superstar a chance to say his final goodbye on home soil.

Lionel Messi called the curtain on a historic career

Lionel Messi’s decision to step away from international duty earlier in September ends an iconic career that began with his debut in 2005. Over two decades, he established himself as Argentina’s most-capped player and top goal-scorer, scoring 203 goals while winning three major international trophies.

Before the success, Messi faced significant heartbreak, including final defeats at the 2014 World Cup against Germany and the 2016 Copa America against Chile. However, he ended Argentina’s 28-year trophy drought by securing the 2021 Copa America, followed by a historic World Cup victory in Qatar in 2022. During that final against France, Messi scored twice and converted his penalty in a 4-2 shootout win following a 3-3 draw.

Argentina then defended their Copa America crown in 2024, further solidifying his international legacy. Across six World Cup tournaments from 2006 to 2026, Messi scored 21 goals in 34 appearances to finish as the second-highest scorer in tournament history. In his final World Cup campaign in 2026, he recorded eight goals and four assists, including his first World Cup hat-trick against Algeria.

While the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has retired from international football, he will continue playing at the club level with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.

(With inputs from ANI)

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