Lionel Messi will return to the Argentina national team squad for a special occasion. The legendary Albiceleste captain has been included in the roster for the upcoming international window and will receive a tribute during the friendly against Benin, scheduled for October 6 in Buenos Aires.
Messi Called Up by Argentina to Receive Tribute
Lionel Messi has been included in the Argentina national team squad and will receive a special tribute at the Monumental during the friendly against Benin.
Argentine Football Association (AFA) president Claudio Tapia announced that the match at the Monumental will serve as a farewell for Messi, giving him the opportunity to reunite with Argentine fans.
Messi to Receive Tribute at the Monumental
According to Tapia, the goal is to give Lionel Messi a farewell worthy of his remarkable career with the Argentina national team. The players who were part of Argentina's 2022 World Cup-winning squad will also be invited to the ceremony along with their families.
The AFA president described the match as an occasion that is expected to be unforgettable for Albiceleste supporters and a celebration of the international career of Argentina's biggest soccer icon of recent years.
Messi announced his retirement from international soccer on September 1 through a letter published on his social media accounts. The star explained that he made the decision following the defeat to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final and after the death of his father, Jorge Messi, in August.
Scaloni Includes Messi in Special Argentina Squad
The squad selected by head coach Lionel Scaloni for the three friendly matches also features several players who competed at the 2026 World Cup in North America. Among them are Cristian Romero, Julián Álvarez, Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez.
Young talents Franco Mastantuono, Agustín Giay, Román Vega and Matías Soulé, who did not participate in the most recent World Cup, have also been included.
The Argentina national team will face Bolivia on September 30 in Córdoba before traveling to Buenos Aires for two matches at the Monumental. Argentina will play Burkina Faso on October 3 before facing Benin on October 6. So far, the match against Benin is the only one in which Messi's participation has been confirmed, with the tribute to the legendary captain set to be the main attraction.
