Messi in Argentina squad for farewell friendly

Argentina has included Lionel Messi in their squad for a friendly match against Benin in October, marking what is expected to be the forward's final appearance for the national team. The 39-year-old, who captained Argentina to the 2022 World Cup triumph, announced his retirement from international football in August following a loss to Spain in the World Cup final and his father's passing. Messi, an eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, is Argentina's leading scorer with 125 goals in 207 appearances.

Argentine FA president Claudio Tapia stated that the decision to include Messi in the squad is to give him a proper farewell, emphasizing that the match will take place on October 6th at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, with a capacity of 85,000. The Argentina team, including the 2022 World Cup winners, are expected to attend the event which organisers claim will be an unforgettable occasion.

The match comes after Argentina were penalized for breaches of the FIFA disciplinary code during the World Cup, including using the event for political demonstrations and discriminatory chants. Argentina's upcoming friendlies against Bolivia on September 30th and Burkina Faso on October 3rd will see them comply with the punishment, ensuring it will be completed prior to their game against Benin.

Midfielders Leandro Paredes and Nahuel Molina are not likely to feature due to respective 10-game and seven-match bans for their involvement in on-field clashes following Argentina's defeat to Spain in the World Cup final.