Lionel Messi called up by Argentina for farewell match on Oct. 6 in Buenos Aires
Messi announced on Aug. 31 he was retiring from Argentina's national team after leading them to three World Cup finals.
Lionel Messi has been named for an emotional farewell match with Argentina on October 6 in Buenos Aires. The 39-year-old Argentine soccer legend announced his retirement from international duties on August 31, stating he had given everything he had and the younger players deserved their chance. Argentina will face Bolivia on September 30, Burkina Faso on October 3, and Benin on October 6, with the latter two games taking place at the massive Estadio Monumental, the largest stadium in South America.
Messi's emotional farewell follows Argentina's World Cup final loss to Spain, where the star player was seen holding back tears on the field. Just a month later, Messi's father, Jorge, passed away after battling an undisclosed illness at the age of 68. Throughout his international career, Messi has scored 125 goals in 207 appearances for Argentina.
He has led the national team to two Copa América titles in 2021 and 2024, and three World Cup finals, including the 2022 tournament where Argentina triumphed over France. At his current MLS club, Inter Miami, Messi has netted 19 goals and provided 32 goal contributions in 22 games.
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- Messi in Argentina squad for farewell friendly sports.yahoo.com
- Messi in Argentina squad for farewell friendly bbc.co.uk
