Lionel Messi is set to make his final appearance for Argentina on Tuesday, bringing his 21-year international career to an emotional close against Benin at Buenos Aires’ Monumental Stadium.
Around 85,000 fans are expected to witness the 39-year-old superstar’s farewell, while millions more will follow the occasion on television.
Argentina’s most-capped player is retiring from international football two-and-a-half months after the team lost the World Cup final to Spain.
“I gave it my all; I have nothing left to give, and besides, there are great young players coming up who deserve their chance,” Messi wrote when announcing his international retirement in August.
He completed his final training session with the national team on Monday at the complex named after him in Ezeiza.
“You can’t ask for more, that’s it,” Nahuel Nieva, a retail worker who took the day off to watch Messi train, told AFP.
Messi remains contracted to Inter Miami until 2028 but has suggested he could retire from football sooner following the death of his father, Jorge, two months ago.
Several members of Argentina’s World Cup-winning squad will feature in the farewell, including Cristian Romero, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez, Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez.
Romero will inherit the captain’s armband after Messi’s departure.
Coach Lionel Scaloni faces the challenge of filling the “void” left by his captain, although Argentina’s emerging generation has already shown promise.
Without Messi, Argentina beat Bolivia 4-0 in Cordoba last Wednesday before comfortably defeating Burkina Faso at the Monumental on Saturday.
