MESSI NAMED IN ARGENTINA SQUAD FOR FAREWELL MATCH AGAINST BENIN

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By ‘Sefiu Ajape

Lionel Messi was on Tuesday named in Argentina’s squad for a friendly against Benin on October 6, with the match set to serve as his farewell appearance after he announced his international retirement last month.

The 39-year-old said in August that he was retiring from Argentina duty after a two-decade international career that included winning the 2022 World Cup and Copa America titles in 2021 and 2024.

“We made the decision to invite the best player in the world, the symbol of our national team, our captain, Lionel Andres Messi, so that he can have the farewell he truly deserves on October 6 here in Argentina,” Argentine Football Association president Claudio Tapia said.

The match against Benin will be played at River Plate’s Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires. Tapia has also invited members of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning squad to join Messi for the occasion.

Argentina will begin a series of three friendlies against Bolivia on September 30 in Cordoba, marking their first match since losing the World Cup final to Spain, before facing Burkina Faso in Buenos Aires on October 3.

Messi has been included in the squad for the third match against Benin, when he is expected to make his 208th and final appearance for Argentina.

He is the country’s all-time leading scorer with 125 goals.

Last month, FIFA ordered Argentina to play their next home match at 50 percent capacity over breaches of its disciplinary code relating to the use of a sporting event for demonstrations of a non-sporting nature.

The sanctions followed incidents during Argentina’s World Cup campaign.

After Argentina defeated England 2-1 in a tense World Cup semi-final in July, several players held up a banner saying, “The Falklands are Argentine.”

The friendlies are also expected to count towards suspensions handed down following incidents after Argentina’s World Cup final defeat by Spain.

Midfielder Leandro Paredes received a 10-match ban, while defender Nahuel Molina was suspended for seven games and Thiago Almada for one.