New Delhi, Sep 16 (IANS) Lionel Messi will play his final game for Argentina in a friendly against Benin next month at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.

“We invited ⁠the world’s best player, our national-team icon, our captain Lionel Andres Messi, to have a deserved farewell here in Argentina,” wrote AFA president Claudio Tapia on social media.

"Lionel Messi, Rodrigo De Paul, and Giovani Lo Celso will join the squad for the final friendly match on October 6th. The list of players called up from the domestic league will be announced on Friday," the Argentine FA said

The Argentine great last month announced his retirement from international football, bringing an end to a 20-year Argentina career that included a World Cup triumph, two Copa America titles and a record 207 appearances for his country.

“After the time that has passed since the final, and after giving it a lot of thought, I want to let everyone know that I am retiring from the Argentina national team,” wrote Messi on 31 August. “It was a decision that hurt – and still hurts deep down – but I understand that the time has come.

“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, through football, feel proud to be Argentinian.”

The 39-year-old eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, who currently plays for Inter Miami in MLS, is Argentina's all-time leading scorer and most-capped player, having scored 125 goals in 207 appearances.

Messi made his Argentina debut as an 18-year-old in 2005. He inspired the Albiceleste to a runners-up finish at Brazil 2014 and the title at Qatar 2022. At his last FIFA World Cup earlier this year, Messi registered eight goals and four assists to propel Lionel Scaloni’s side into the decider, which they lost 1-0 to Spain after extra time.

The Argentine national team will play three international friendlies September 21 to October 6. The first match will take place at the Mario Alberto Kempes Stadium in Córdoba province on Wednesday, September 30, against Bolivia. The remaining two matches will be at River Plate Stadium on October 3, against Burkina Faso, and on October 6 against Benin.

River Plate's Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, which has an 85,000 capacity, will host the game against Benin.

Argentina's 2022 World Cup winners and their families have also been invited to the match, which Tapia said would be an "unforgettable" occasion.

--IANS

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