{
  "id": 7645971,
  "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",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-15T22:00:43.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/sports/football/2026/09/1533686/messi-called-argentina-make-farewell-appearance-following"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Argentina has invited Lionel Messi to make a farewell appearance in a home friendly in October, confirming the news on Tuesday. The Argentine Football Association (AFA) President Claudio Tapia expressed his delight on social media, stating that the AFA has invited the world's best player to have a well-deserved farewell match on October 6 in Argentina. Argentina will play three home friendlies during the Sept 21-Oct 6 FIFA international window, their initial matches since the World Cup. They will face Benin in Buenos Aires Monumental Stadium on October 6, where Messi will play his farewell match. Argentina will also host Bolivia at Cordoba's Mario Kempes Stadium on Sept 30 and Burkina Faso in Buenos Aires on Oct 3. The October 6 match will see Leandro Paredes, Nahuel Molina, and Thiago Almada from local leagues, with squad members Leandro Paredes, Nahuel Molina, and Thiago Almada serving suspensions of 10, seven, and one match respectively due to their involvement in an altercation after the World Cup final against Spain.",
  "summary": "MEXICO CITY: Lionel Messi has been called up by Argentina to make a farewell appearance in a home friendly in October following his international retirement, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) confirmed on Tuesday.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 6,
    "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",
        "title": "Messi offered farewell by Argentina after international retirement",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/15/messi-offered-farewell-by-argentina-after-international-retirement",
        "published": "2026-09-15T21:50:10.000Z"
      },
      {
        "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."
}