Argentina - Benin: Messi shares a deeply meaningful message

The Albiceleste captain shared an emotional message after his final training session with the national team

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Argentina - Benin: Messi shares a deeply meaningful message

06.10.26 19:00 Friendly International

Argentina

Benin

On the eve of his final appearance for Argentina, Lionel Messi published an emotional message after his last training session.

The countdown is nearing its end for Lionel Messi with Argentina. Just hours before his final match in the Albiceleste shirt, scheduled for this Tuesday, October 6, against Benin at Buenos Aires' Monumental Stadium, the Argentina captain shared several images from his final training session with his teammates and the staff.

On social media, the number 10 accompanied the photos with a particularly symbolic message: “Special moments that, I know, I will miss…”. A few words that convey the emotion surrounding the end of an international adventure that began more than 20 years ago.

🚨 𝗡𝗘𝗪: Lionel Messi has finished his final training session with Argentina. He will never be seen on the training pitch for Argentina again after today. And so the entire staff and squad was on the pitch to take a last picture with him there. 🇦🇷🩵 https://t.co/HzKuuMUGqB
— The Touchline | 𝐓 (@TouchlineX) October 6, 2026

One final evening at the Monumental against Benin

Messi will play his final international match against Benin, in a Monumental stadium announced as sold out. His farewell against the Cheetahs had been made official as early as mid-September, with an evening specially planned by the Argentine Football Association to pay tribute to its captain.

The excitement quickly confirmed the scale of the event: tickets for the match sold out in less than two hours. Several former teammates from the generation that won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar were also invited to the celebrations planned around this final occasion.

207 caps and 125 goals for the Albiceleste

At 39, Messi is preparing to close an exceptional chapter with 207 caps and 125 goals. Since making his debut in 2005, he has won the Copa América in 2021 and 2024, the Finalissima in 2022 and the 2022 World Cup, the trophy that had long been missing from his immense honours list.

His final major tournament was also remarkable. At the 2026 World Cup, Messi scored 8 goals and guided Argentina to the final, which they ultimately lost 1-0 to Spain. This campaign also confirmed his exceptional longevity at the highest level, more than two decades after his first international appearance.

The end of an era for Argentina

Beyond the statistics and trophies, Messi’s departure opens a new chapter for Lionel Scaloni’s team. Cristian Romero has already worn the captain’s armband during the first matches of this international window, while the number 10 had joined the squad solely for his farewell.

Against Benin, the sporting stakes will almost take a back seat. The Monumental is preparing above all to salute one last time the player who holds Argentina’s records for caps and goals. After his final training session, Messi’s message above all serves as a reminder that this evening will represent a farewell both for the supporters and for the player himself.