Lionel Messi arrived in Argentina on Friday ahead of what is set to be his farewell game for the national team.
The Argentina captain is scheduled to feature in a friendly against Benin in Buenos Aires on Tuesday, in what will be his final appearance for the country he led to the 2022 FIFA World Cup title.
The Argentine Football Association said the goal of the match is to ensure “the best player in the world gets the home send-off he truly deserves.”
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The 39-year-old announced his international retirement on August 31 and travelled from Miami on a private jet with his family. He landed in his hometown of Rosario, around 300 kilometres north of Buenos Aires.
Messi Set For Argentina Farewell
Several of Messi's teammates from Argentina's 2022 World Cup-winning squad are expected to attend the match. However, Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina will miss the occasion after their club, Roma, declined to release them.
Messi is not expected to feature in any of Argentina's other matches during the current international window.
Argentina have already played one match, defeating Bolivia 4-0 on Wednesday. The team will also face Burkina Faso on Saturday.
The legendary Argentine forward is his country's record appearance maker with 207 caps and record goal-scorer with 125 goals.
Messi led Argentina to three FIFA World Cup finals in a storied international career. Argentina came runners-up in 2014 and the most recently concluded 2026 FIFA World Cup.
But the forward and talisman led his national team to World Cup glory in Qatar in 2022.
The friendly against Benin in Buenos Aires will therefore be Messi's only appearance for Argentina during this international window, with the match set to mark another significant moment in the 39-year-old's international career.
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