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Lionel Messi has been named in Argentina's squad for the September–October international window, during which he will say goodbye to the national team with one last match on home turf.
Two weeks after Messi made his international retirement official with an emotional public announcement, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) unveiled the date of his final appearance for La Albiceleste.
Messi's farewell for Argentina will come in a friendly against Benin at the iconic Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires on Oct. 6. Messi, along with Inter Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul and Giovani Lo Celso, will join the rest of Lionel Scaloni's squad exclusively for that occasion.
"To all Argentina supporters, to every Argentine," AFA president Claudio Tapia said. "I want to announce that following a conversation with national team coach Lionel Scaloni, we have decided to invite the greatest player in the world, the symbol of our national team, our captain Lionel Messi, so that he can receive the sendoff he truly deserves on Oct. 6, here, in Argentina.
"At the same time, having received Lionel's [Messi] acceptance, we want to invite all the world champions who shared that journey with him at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, so that, together with their families, they can be by his side in a match that will be unforgettable for all Argentines."
Argentina Squad for September, October International Break
Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martínez (Chelsea), Juan Musso (Atlético Madrid), Gerónimo Rulli (Manchester City)
Defenders: Agustín Giay (Palmeiras), Leonardo Balerdi (Roma), Cristian Romero (Atlético Madrid), Lisandro Martínez (Manchester United), Juan Foyth (Villarreal), Facundo Medina (Bayer Leverkusen), Nicolás Tagliafico (Lyon), Román Vega (Zenit)
Midfielders: Valentín Barco (Chelsea), Enzo Fernández (Manchester City), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Giovani Lo Celso (Real Betis), Rodrigo De Paul (Inter Miami), Nicolás Paz (Como), Exequiel Palacios (Ipswich Town)
Forwards: Franco Mastantuono (Fiorentina), Matías Soulé (Roma), Giuliano Simeone (Atlético Madrid), Nicolás González (Juventus), Gianluca Prestianni (Benfica), José Manuel López (Palmeiras), Santiago Castro (Roma), Julián Álvarez (Atlético Madrid), Lautaro Martínez (Inter Milan), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)
Argentina Start New Era Without Lionel Messi
Argentina will play two friendly matches ahead of Messi's farewell. La Albiceleste will take on Bolivia on Sept. 30 and then Burkina Faso on Oct. 3, before the showdown against Benin three days later.
There are several new faces in Argentina's first squad following the 2026 World Cup, with the return of Franco Mastantuono—the most recent player to don Messi's legendary No. 10 shirt—being a notable highlight.
Young prospects such as Agustín Giay, Matías Soulé, Gianluca Prestianni, Santiago Castro and Román Vega are among the new generation of Argentine talent aiming to become fixtures during the 2030 cycle.
Messi will wait until the third game of the fall international friendlies for his farewell because Argentina must host two home matches at reduced stadium capacity as part of the sanctions FIFA imposed on AFA for supporter misconduct during the 2026 World Cup.
Likewise, suspended players including Leandro Paredes and Nahuel Molina have been left out of Argentina's squad.
Messi will play his final game for Argentina in what could also be among Lionel Scaloni's last matches in charge of the national side, with the coach yet to extend his contract, which is set to expire at year's end.
Whatever lies ahead for Argentina, the match against Benin on Oct. 6 will signal the close of an era—the ultimate farewell of the greatest player of all time in an Albiceleste shirt, a defining moment in the history of world football.