The day has arrived. After more than two decades of unparalleled greatness, Lionel Messi will pull on the Argentina jersey for the final time on Tuesday night, bringing the curtain down on one of the most extraordinary international careers in football history.
The 39-year-old captain will make his 208th and final appearance for La Albiceleste in a friendly against Benin at the Estadio Más Monumental in Buenos Aires, with kick-off scheduled for 8:00 p.m. local time. The match, officially dubbed “El Último Tango” (The Last Tango) by the Argentine Football Association, has captivated the nation.
A Farewell Fit for a Legend
Tickets for the match sold out on the day they went on sale, with unofficial resale sites listing them at prices starting at AR512). The 85,000-capacity stadium in the Nuñez district of Buenos Aires will be packed to the rafters as Argentine fans bid farewell to their greatest footballing son.
The AFA has organised a full day of tributes. A “Gracias, Leo” (Thanks, Leo) Fan Fest began at noon at the University of Buenos Aires sports field, featuring live music, entertainment, and interactive experiences, with the match shown on a giant screen. Members of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning squad have been invited to participate in the tribute, and Messi will be accompanied by family members and former teammates from the championship-winning side.
In Messi’s hometown of Rosario, a giant Argentina shirt bearing the number 10 and the word “Gracias” was installed in front of the National Flag Monument, with a light show projecting images from his career.
A Career of Unmatched Records
Messi departs as Argentina’s most-capped player and all-time leading goalscorer, having amassed 125 goals and 68 assists in 207 appearances prior to Tuesday’s match. His goal tally is more than double that of Gabriel Batistuta, who sits second on the all-time list with 56.
He has played in a record six FIFA World Cups, scoring 21 goals across the tournament — briefly holding the record for career World Cup goals during the 2026 edition. In CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers, he finished as the all-time leading scorer with 36 goals in 72 matches.
His trophy cabinet with Argentina includes the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where he scored seven goals and was named player of the tournament, as well as two Copa América titles in 2021 and 2024. He also won his final Ballon d’Or in 2023 following the World Cup triumph.
The Road to Goodbye
Messi announced his retirement from international football on 31 August 2026, six weeks after Argentina’s World Cup final defeat to Spain. In a heartfelt Instagram post, he described it as “a decision that hurts in [his] soul,” but said he understood “the time has come”.
He had initially penned his farewell statement on 21 July, just two days after the World Cup final, but waited before making it public. Coach Lionel Scaloni has insisted that if Messi ever wants to carry on, he can, and there is no embarrassment in changing one’s mind — but that chapter appears closed.
Beyond the Pitch
Messi’s football journey is far from over. He remains under contract with Inter Miami through the end of the 2028 MLS season, with the deal reviewed year by year. He has also begun building a football ownership empire. In April, he purchased UE Cornellà , a fifth-tier Spanish club near Barcelona, and on 1 October, CD Eldense in Spain’s second division announced Messi as its new owner. In Uruguay, he and Luis Suárez founded Deportivo LSM in May 2025, which won promotion to the country’s third tier in its first season.
Asked recently whether he would rather be a coach or an owner, Messi chose owner. “A coach lives and dies by every Saturday,” he explained, while an owner shapes a club’s direction from further back. Those close to him say he would be an owner who wants to be involved in everything.
The Final Whistle
For Argentina, Tuesday night marks the end of an era. From his debut against Hungary on 17 August 2005 — a match in which he was sent off just minutes after coming on — to a World Cup triumph in Doha and two Copa América crowns, Messi’s journey with La Albiceleste has been nothing short of monumental.
As the final whistle blows at the Monumental, a nation will say goodbye to the man who wore the number 10 with grace, genius, and an unwavering love for the shirt. The journey has ended, but the legacy will endure forever.
