Messi to play final Argentina match on October 6 against Benin

Lionel Messi will play his 208th and final match for Argentina on October 6 against Benin at Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) confirmed this week. The farewell fixture, described by AFA president Claudio Tapia as "the last tango of the best player in the world," will serve as the official sendoff for the 39-year-old Inter Miami forward, who announced his retirement from international football on August 31 following the death of his father, Jorge Messi. The match is the third in a series of friendlies for Argentina during the FIFA international window. The team will face Bolivia on September 30 in Córdoba, followed by Burkina Faso on October 3 at Estadio Monumental, before concluding with the Benin fixture. Messi has been included in the squad for the final match only, alongside fellow 2022 World Cup winners Rodrigo De Paul and Giovani Lo Celso. Tapia announced that all members of Argentina's 2022 World Cup-winning squad and their families have been invited to attend the Benin match as part of the tribute.