Messi in Argentina squad for farewell friendly

Argentina's national football team has announced that Lionel Messi will be part of their squad for an upcoming friendly match against Benin in October. This game is expected to be Messi's farewell to international football, as he announced his retirement from Argentina duty in August. The 39-year-old, who led Argentina to victory in the 2022 World Cup, stated that while the decision to stop playing for La Albiceleste was deeply painful, he had given it his all and had nothing left to give.

Messi is Argentina's all-time leading scorer and most-capped player, with 125 goals in 207 appearances. He currently plays for Inter Miami in the United States. Argentine FA president Claudio Tapia expressed that the team made the decision to invite Messi for this match, so he can receive a farewell worthy of the best player in the world and the symbol of their national team.

The game is set to take place at Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, which has a capacity of 85,000. Argentina's 2022 World Cup winners will also be present at the match, which Tapia described as an unforgettable occasion.