{
  "id": 12049932,
  "title": "Messi readies for final farewell in Argentina send-off",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/messi-readies-for-final-farewell-in-argentina-send-off-12049932",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-05T00:39:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/sports/2026/10/05/messi-readies-for-final-farewell-in-argentina-send-off"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Lionel Messi will conclude his extraordinary Argentina career on Tuesday with a farewell match against Benin at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires. At 39, the superstar joins the Albiceleste squad for his final appearance in the national team jersey, marking the end of an illustrious 22-year tenure with the country's football federation. Messi will be joined by 85,000 fans and several of his former teammates who helped Argentina win the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The friendly match symbolizes the passing of the torch to Argentina's emerging generation, including key players such as Cristian Romero, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez, Julian Alvarez, and Lautaro Martinez. The coach, Lionel Scaloni, will also bid farewell to 38-year-old vice-captain Nicolas Otamendi and other veterans who have been part of Messi's legacy. The team recently showed their determination to carry on Messi's legacy, winning a 4-0 match against Bolivia and a 7-0 thrashing of Burkina Faso. As Messi's number 10 shirt remains a subject of speculation, the team is focused on enjoying the historic match against Benin.",
  "summary": "The 39-year-old superstar will hand over the captain's armband for good as he makes his final appearance in the Albiceleste jersey during a friendly against Benin.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Messi readies for final farewell in Argentina send-off",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/messi-readies-for-final-farewell-in-argentina-send-off-12050301",
        "published": "2026-10-05T00:39:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "Messi readies for final farewell in Argentina send-off",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/messi-readies-for-final-farewell-in-argentina-send-off",
        "published": "2026-10-05T00:50:22.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}