Lionel Messi is about to play the final Argentina match of his career, but the farewell was reportedly not something he immediately welcomed. The occasion was always going to carry enormous significance after more than two decades with the national team, yet there was another issue behind the scenes, with Messi said to have questioned whether the match was really about saying goodbye or simply about making money from his name.
Messi reportedly had doubts over the farewell match
Messi will play his 208th and final senior international for Argentina against Benin at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires on Tuesday, October 6, with the match beginning at 4:30 AM IST on Wednesday for viewers in India.The 39-year-old decided to end his Argentina career after the team’s 2026 World Cup final defeat by Spain in New Jersey, where Messi left the pitch in tears after failing to make the influence he had hoped for in the match.His decision came during an already difficult period following his father’s illness and subsequent death, with Messi acknowledging that ending his international career was a painful choice after everything he had given to Argentina.“I swear to you that I always gave it my all – not just in these last few years when we won everything, but before that too; I always fought and left everything on the field for this jersey, to bring you joy and make you feel proud to be Argentine through football,” Messi said when announcing his retirement.
Argentina’s Lionel Messi (10) cries at the end of the World Cup final soccer match between Spain and Argentina in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, Sunday, July 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, however, Messi was initially reluctant to accept the idea of a farewell friendly against Benin because he believed the Argentine Football Association could be using the occasion to generate substantial revenue from his legacy.“Messi himself was not keen on the idea of this tribute match, as he viewed it as a final money-making venture by the AFA, using his name to secure millions in revenue,” Gazzetta reportedThe report also noted that Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni had voiced some scepticism about the farewell, suggesting that he too had doubts over how the occasion was being put together.Messi ultimately agreed to play, although the match has continued to attract controversy around the way the fixture came together.
The AFA reportedly looked for opponents who would not demand a fee
Argentina’s extended international break included three planned home friendlies against Bolivia, Burkina Faso and Benin, with the latter agreeing to become Messi’s farewell opponent.“Benin has agreed to participate for free in Messi’s farewell, content with merely appearing in a historic photograph.”The outlet also claimed that Benin’s usual asking price would have been significant, while the AFA had tasked a Colombian agency with finding friendly opponents who would not demand a fee.The circumstances have added an unusual business element to what should otherwise be one of the most emotional nights in Argentine football, particularly with around 85,000 spectators expected at the Monumental.Members of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning squad and their families will attend the farewell, joining Messi alongside members of the country’s emerging generation as the national team begins life beyond its longest-serving modern captain.Lionel Scaloni, who built the Argentina side around Messi and helped deliver the country’s biggest successes, will also oversee a farewell for 38-year-old vice-captain Nicolás Otamendi.Rodrigo De Paul and Giovani Lo Celso were also called up specifically for the Benin match, raising the possibility that the game could become their final Argentina appearances as well.
Messi leaves Argentina with numbers and trophies few can match
Messi’s departure will close an international career that already places him among the most decorated players in Argentina’s history, with a World Cup, two Copa America titles and the Finalissima among his major honours.He currently holds Argentina’s records for appearances, goals and assists, having entered the farewell with 207 senior caps, 125 goals and 68 assists.His 125 goals leave him 69 ahead of Gabriel Batistuta, Argentina’s second-highest goalscorer, while his 207 appearances leave him 61 ahead of Javier Mascherano.Messi will also leave Argentina as one of only four players to have made more than 200 senior international appearances, although Luka Modrić is expected to overtake him on the all-time list.Unlike Modrić and Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi leaves with a World Cup title alongside two Copa America victories, while Ronaldo’s Portugal have won one European Championship during his international career.Messi remains under contract with Inter Miami until 2028, although he has acknowledged that his playing career could end sooner than expected following his father’s death two months ago.Whatever happens after Tuesday night, Argentina’s final match with Messi as captain will bring together the players who helped him finally win everything with the national team and the next generation preparing to take his place. For all the emotion surrounding the farewell, the reported hesitation from Messi shows that even his final night in the famous blue and white shirt was not quite as simple as it first appeared.
