{
  "id": 7641286,
  "title": "Messi offered farewell by Argentina after international retirement",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/messi-offered-farewell-by-argentina-after-international-retirement",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-15T21:50:10.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "ABC News",
    "slug": "abc-news",
    "url": "https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-16/lonel-messi-argentina-international-farewell-after-retirement/107157822"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Following his recent announcement of international retirement, Argentina has extended an invitation for Lionel Messi to make a farewell appearance in a home friendly match scheduled for October. Messi, who captained the team to victory in the 2022 World Cup, has yet to decide whether he will accept the honor. The Argentine Football Association president, Claudio Tapia, expressed his enthusiasm for the occasion via a social media post, stating that Messi, the team's icon, would be welcomed to celebrate a well-deserved farewell in Argentina. Argentina plans to participate in three home friendlies during the FIFA's international window, which will mark the first matches for the national team since their World Cup triumph. The first of these matches is set to take place on October 7 in Buenos Aires' Monumental Stadium, where Messi has been cordially invited to play. Additionally, Argentina will face Bolivia in Córdoba and Burkina Faso in Buenos Aires during the FIFA international window. Recently, three Argentine players — Leandro Paredes, Nahuel Molina, and Thiago Almada — received bans from FIFA for their involvement in a post-match altercation following the team's loss to Spain in the World Cup final held in New Jersey in July.",
  "summary": "Argentine fans may have the opportunity to farewell football great Lionel Messi, who announced his international retirement earlier this month.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 7,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "Messi called up by Argentina for farewell appearance following international retirement",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/messi-called-up-by-argentina-for-farewell-appearance-following",
        "published": "2026-09-15T20:18:57.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Gulf News",
        "title": "One last goodbye: Lionel Messi agrees to play for Argentina one more time",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/one-last-goodbye-lionel-messi-agrees-to-play-for-argentina-one-more",
        "published": "2026-09-15T21:12:17.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Punch",
        "title": "Messi returns to Argentina squad for final farewell against Benin",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/messi-returns-to-argentina-squad-for-final-farewell-against-benin",
        "published": "2026-09-15T21:28:04.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "ABC News AU",
        "title": "Messi offered farewell by Argentina after international retirement",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/messi-offered-farewell-by-argentina-after-international-retirement-7644962",
        "published": "2026-09-15T21:50:10.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "Messi called up by Argentina to make farewell appearance following international retirement",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/messi-called-up-by-argentina-to-make-farewell-appearance-following-7645971",
        "published": "2026-09-15T22:00:43.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "El Pais",
        "title": "Lionel Messi will bid farewell to the Argentine national team with a match in Buenos Aires: “The last tango of the world's best player”",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/lionel-messi-se-despedira-de-la-seleccion-argentina-con-un-partido-en",
        "published": "2026-09-15T22:47:05.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}