Overview
- The Monumental in Buenos Aires will host Lionel Messi’s farewell friendly against Benin on Tuesday, where he will make his final appearance for Argentina after a 21-year international career.
- Messi leaves as Argentina’s record appearance-maker and top scorer with roughly 125 goals and about 207–208 caps, and the AFA has organised a large ceremonial send‑off that includes a special Adidas commemorative shirt and tributes.
- Coach Lionel Scaloni has kept the No.10 shirt unused until the match and said he will decide who wears it only after the farewell, a choice constrained by FIFA rules that prevent national teams from permanently retiring squad numbers.
- Argentina has used this October window to test young talent, recording 4-0 and 7-0 wins without Messi and giving minutes to players such as Nico Paz, Franco Mastantuono and Gianluca Prestianni as Scaloni plots a post‑Messi lineup.
- What comes next includes Scaloni’s contract talks, a formal decision on the No.10 after the farewell, and the practical limits of club release and FIFA numbering that will shape how Argentina moves from a Messi era to a new core of players.