Lionel Messi is set to approach the final chapter of his Argentina career, with 6 October emerging as the likely date for his last appearance in the famous blue-and-white shirt. After years of speculation over when the Argentina captain would finally step away from international football, supporters now have a clearer indication of when they may see him represent the national team for the final time.
According to a post on the verified Facebook page of Italian journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Messi is expected to feature for Argentina in a friendly against Benin on 6 October. The match is scheduled to take place at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires, a venue closely associated with Argentina’s national team.
Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has included Messi in the squad announced for the fixture against Benin. His selection has added weight to expectations that the match could become the veteran forward’s final international appearance.
Romano described the occasion as Messi’s ‘last dance’, saying the match would provide an opportunity for the Argentina star to say farewell to supporters. The report has generated considerable attention among fans, who have been waiting for confirmation of the circumstances surrounding Messi’s international retirement.
Messi had announced only days earlier that he would retire from international football. That decision immediately raised questions about when and where his final appearance for Argentina would take place. For supporters who have followed his international career from its early years through its most celebrated achievements, the prospect of a final match carries significance well beyond the result of a friendly.
The 39-year-old forward has spent much of his career at the centre of Argentina’s football story. His journey with the national side included periods of disappointment before eventually producing some of the most memorable successes in the country’s modern football history. Under Scaloni, Argentina won the Copa América and later lifted the 2022 FIFA World Cup, with Messi playing a central role in both campaigns.
The World Cup triumph in Qatar was particularly significant for Messi. Having previously endured several major-tournament setbacks with Argentina, he finally lifted the sport’s most prestigious international trophy as captain. His performances during the tournament further strengthened his standing among Argentina supporters and added a defining achievement to his international career.
His relationship with the national team has also developed considerably over time. Once the subject of intense scrutiny after major defeats, Messi gradually became the figure around whom Argentina’s most successful modern era was built. His leadership, goals and creative influence have made his appearances in the national shirt major events for supporters.
That is why the potential farewell against Benin is likely to carry a different atmosphere from an ordinary friendly. At the Monumental, attention is expected to focus not only on the match itself but also on the possibility of witnessing Messi’s final moments as an Argentina international.
For supporters, the occasion could represent the closing of an extraordinary era. The blue-and-white shirt has accompanied Messi through triumphs, setbacks, finals and ultimately a World Cup victory. If he does take the field against Benin on 6 October, the match could provide Argentina fans with one final opportunity to watch their celebrated captain represent the national side on home soil.
For now, Fabrizio Romano’s report has offered the clearest indication of the expected farewell. Any change to the squad, fixture arrangements or Messi’s participation before the match could alter the situation. But with Messi included in Scaloni’s squad, anticipation is already building around what could become an emotional final appearance for one of Argentina’s most celebrated footballers.
