Nearly two months after Lionel Messi announced his retirement from international football with Argentina, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) has granted the legendary captain the send-off he deserves, scheduling a special October friendly against Benin to celebrate his historic career with La Albiceleste. The 39-year-old Inter Miami star, who already cemented his legacy as one of the greatest footballers of all time by leading Argentina to victory in the 2022 World Cup, first stepped away from national team duty in August. His retirement came on the heels of Argentina’s narrow final defeat to Spain at the 2026 World Cup, and followed a period of uncertainty about his future in the sport triggered by the passing of his father, Jorge Messi. In the emotional announcement of his departure, Messi shared that stepping away from the national side hurt him deeply, but he felt he had given everything he had to the team and had nothing left to contribute at the international level. Over the course of his iconic 18-year run with Argentina, Messi broke every major offensive record: he leaves the program as the nation’s all-time leading goal scorer with 125 goals across 207 senior appearances, and holds the title of the most capped player in Argentine history, along with an unprecedented eight Ballon d’Or awards to his name. AFA president Claudio Tapia confirmed the organization’s decision to invite Messi for one final match, calling the forward the best player in the world, a permanent symbol of Argentine football, and the nation’s beloved captain. The historic farewell fixture will take place on October 6 at Buenos Aires’ Estadio Monumental, the home ground of River Plate, which can hold up to 85,000 fans eager to honor Messi. Tapia also shared that every member of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning squad has been invited to take part in the occasion, which he promises will be an unforgettable experience for players and fans alike. Beyond the celebration of Messi’s career, the match will come after Argentina has served out a disciplinary punishment handed down by FIFA. The global governing body ordered Argentina to play its next two home matches at half capacity following multiple infractions of FIFA’s disciplinary code during the 2026 World Cup, including the use of a sports event for non-sporting political demonstrations, team misconduct, and discriminatory behavior by spectators. The sanctions stemmed from an incident after Argentina’s 2-1 semi-final victory over England, when multiple Argentine players displayed a banner asserting Argentine sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, a British Overseas Territory. One match of the two-match capacity suspension was already suspended by FIFA, and Argentina will complete the remaining penalty during two pre-farewell friendlies: a September 30 match against Bolivia in Cordoba, and an October 3 meeting with Burkina Faso in Buenos Aires, clearing the way for a full-capacity crowd for Messi’s farewell. Two key Argentina midfielders, Leandro Paredes and Nahuel Molina, will not be available for the friendly against Benin, however. Both players received lengthy suspensions for their roles in on-field altercations that broke out after Argentina’s 2026 World Cup final loss to Spain, with Paredes handed a 10-match ban and Molina a seven-match suspension that will rule them out of the October fixture.