On Tuesday the world of soccer will be witness to one of the most touching moments of its recent history as Lionel Messi, the Argentinian legend, will play his final game with the national team. The match will take place at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires and will feature some of the greatest players of the Argentinian team, that in 2022, won the Qatar World Cup, and recently lost the 2026 World Cup final to Spain. Following the final loss in July, the Inter Miami striker announced his retirement from the national team on August 31, only a few days after the death of his father, Jorge Argentina will face Benin on Tuesday in a friendly match dedicated to Messi.
Argentinian coach Lionel Scaloni has called up all the players who played alongside Messi in the 2022 World Cup, but some of them couldn't be part of the game. For example, AS Roma denied both Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina the chance to travel to Argentina for Messi's farewell. "Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina will not attend the event being held in Argentina for the match between Argentina and Benin on 6 October.
The Club acknowledges the significance of the occasion for both players, who share a close bond with Lionel Messi and were part of Argentina's 2022 World Cup-winning team alongside him. The decision has been made for sporting and logistical reasons, taking into account the length of the intercontinental journey and the proximity of the Club's upcoming competitive fixtures. AS Roma has the utmost respect for Lionel Messi and his extraordinary career and wishes him and the Argentine Football Association a very special evening," the club wrote in a statement that sparked debate ahead of the game.
Here's all you need to know on Tuesday's game. Date: Tuesday, October 6 | Time: 7 p.m. ETLocation: Estadio Monumental -- Buenos Aires, Argentina.Live stream: ViX Odds: Argentina -20000; Draw +3000; Benin +6000 After winning one World Cup in 2022 and two Copa Americas in 2021 and 2024, Messi announced his decision to retire from the national team in an open letter published on his social media on August 31.
"After all this time since the final, and after thinking about it a lot, I want to tell everyone that I'm retiring from the national team. It was a decision that hurt and still hurts deep inside, but I understand that this is the right moment. I swear I always gave everything, not only in these last few years when we won everything, but before that too.
I always fought and gave everything for this shirt, to bring you happiness and make you feel proud to be Argentine through football. There isn't much time left, and different chapters are coming to an end. This is one that hurts me a lot.
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