Overview
- Lionel Messi, who announced his retirement from the national team in a handwritten letter on August 31, will play his last match for Argentina against Benín on Tuesday at the Estadio Monumental.
- The AFA has confirmed formal tributes for the evening, including a commemorative shirt with gold numbering, a plaque of recognition, a tribute video and an expected on-field address from Messi after the game.
- City authorities opened gates early and set up a Fan Fest at Ciudad Universitaria with a musical line-up starting around 17:30, while a three-ring security plan deploys more than 1,000 personnel and multiple road closures around the stadium.
- The Monumental is sold out for roughly 85,000 fans and many World Cup 2022 teammates were invited to attend, though several players were absent because of club commitments, suspensions or travel logistics.
- Messi’s Argentina career spans about 21 years and includes the 2022 World Cup and recent Copa América titles, outlets report roughly 207–208 caps and about 125 goals with small discrepancies between sources, and the farewell marks a major transition for the team and its supporters.