Lionel Messi has unveiled the jersey he will wear for his farewell match with the Argentina national team. The Albiceleste captain will play his final international game on Tuesday, October 6 against Benin at the Monumental stadium, bringing down the curtain on a career spanning over two decades.
The shirt was revealed in a video on Messi's official Instagram account. The design features a vertical white stripe down the centre flanked by two light blue bands. On the back, the number 10 and the surname 'MESSI' appear in gold, alongside the Sun of May emblem. On the chest, the star's personal logo is incorporated. The post was captioned 'Last match… A jersey for a lifetime'.
Reactions and farewell details
The presentation prompted immediate reactions. Racing driver Franco Colapinto, a noted fan of the team, commented, "Que ganas q no te vayas nunca lo q te vamos a extrañar". Brazil's Neymar replied with a clapping emoji. Messi had announced his retirement from the national team on August 31, though he revealed he wrote the farewell letter on July 21. His father passed away on August 8.
The Argentine Football Association organised this tribute match within the October FIFA window. Head coach Lionel Scaloni included Messi in the squad for this period, but the player will only feature in the Benin fixture. He will miss the preceding friendlies against Bolivia on Wednesday, September 30 in Córdoba, and against Burkina Faso on Saturday, October 3, also at the Monumental. Ángel Di María has already confirmed he will be present to accompany his teammate for the send-off.
Ticket sales and sporting context
Ticket sales for the match against Benin began on Tuesday, September 22 at 18:00 local time via the Deportick website. General admission tickets were priced at $90,000, while children aged 3 to 10 paid $29,000. Seats in the Sívori and Centenario stands started from $180,000, with the most expensive tickets, in the mid-level San Martín and Belgrano stands, reaching $480,000.
This emotional end of an era comes as Argentina sits top of their World Cup qualifying group with 9 points from three wins. Messi, who is the team's top scorer this cycle with 8 goals in 8 appearances, will aim to close with a home victory. The team, on a run of four wins and one defeat in their last five outings, will face Bolivia in Córdoba as part of their friendly schedule. The last time they met, in October 2024, Argentina won 6-0. Fans can check the full squad called up by Scaloni for this FIFA window, which blends experience and new talent. In their next official fixture after Messi's farewell, Argentina will visit Colombia on October 14 in Barranquilla, a key match for World Cup qualification.
The original report is at La Nacion AR Deportes
