Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has confirmed that Lionel Messi will be given the opportunity to bid farewell to international football on his own terms during a friendly match next month. The game against Benin is scheduled for October 6 at River Plate’s Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.

Messi, who retired from international play at the end of August at the age of 39, has been included in the squad specifically for this farewell fixture. Scaloni emphasized the emotional significance of the occasion, describing it as a privilege to be present and acknowledging the difficulty of holding back tears during the match.

Scaloni, who led Argentina to their third World Cup title in 2022 and saw the team finish as runners-up to Spain at the 2026 World Cup, said he made efforts to ensure Messi would have one final appearance in front of the home crowd. “Since I don’t know if I’ll still be here in the future, we did everything possible so he could take part in this match,” the coach said.

The match will come as part of a series of friendlies for Argentina that begin on September 30 with a game against Bolivia in Cordoba, followed by a match against Burkina Faso on October 3 in Buenos Aires. Messi is expected to join the squad only for the final game against Benin, which is set to take place in the stadium that holds up to 85,000 fans.

In addition to reflecting on Messi’s international career, Scaloni praised the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner’s current form. Messi recently scored his 100th goal for Inter Miami and the coach expressed that the forward still deserves to contend for further individual accolades.