Toronto Star
· collected 2026-10-05 · by Débora Rey The Associated Press
Lionel Messi will play his final match for Argentina in a friendly against Benin on Tuesday at Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires. The 39-year-old footballer, who has scored 125 goals and won multiple international titles including the 2022 World Cup, is set to retire from international play after this game. Despite Messi's departure, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni remains optimistic about maintaining the team’s high performance level with emerging talents such as Nicolás Paz and Leonel Flores, who have already shown promise in recent matches against Bolivia and Burkina Faso.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-05,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Lionel Messi will play his final match for Argentina in a friendly against Benin at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires on Tuesday, October 6. The 39-year-old football legend, known as one of the greatest players ever, will wear a special commemorative jersey designed to honor his legacy. Messi’s farewell game is expected to draw approximately 85,000 fans and marks the end of an era for Argentina, which has won multiple titles under his leadership, including the 2022 World Cup. Despite Messi's departure, newer players like Julian Alvarez, Lautaro Martinez, and Enzo Fernandez will continue to represent Argentina. The match is scheduled to start at 8pm local time in Buenos Aires (1am UK time on October 7).
Written for “Lionel Messi Farewell Match” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 3 other(s) covering the same event.
Argentina fans are confident there is a bright future beyond Lionel Messi as the team’s most influential player of the last two decades prepares to bid farewell.
asserted
player → be → farewell
The 39-year-old superstar will play his final match for Argentina on Tuesday — a friendly against Benin at Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires — marking a pivotal moment in the country’s football.
asserted
superstar → play → football
Messi leaves behind an extraordinary legacy, including the 2022 World Cup title, two more World Cup finals (2014, 2026), two Copa América trophies (2021, 2024), an Olympic gold medal (2008), and 125 goals as the national team’s all-time leading scorer.
asserted
Messi → leave → scorer
His international retirement raises an inevitable question: Can Argentina remain among the global elite, or is a long trophy drought — reminiscent of the 35-year dry spell following Diego Maradona’s departure — on the horizon?
asserted
drought → raise → horizon
“Messi leaves behind something unequaled,” national coach Lionel Scaloni says.
asserted
Scaloni → leave → something
“We have to keep playing, but the feeling of having him on the pitch is unique.
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feeling → have → pitch
I’ve never seen anyone else convey what he does on a football field, and that is what we’re going to miss.”
asserted
we → see → what
However, Scaloni — who is in advanced negotiations to renew his contract for another four years — looks beyond Messi with optimism: “The Argentine national team will endure.
asserted
team → renew → optimism
We will remain at a high level, I have no doubt about that.
asserted
I → remain → that
In the first two post-World Cup matches without Messi, Argentina dazzled in the past week with resounding victories against Bolivia 4-0 and Burkina Faso 7-0.
asserted
Argentina → dazzle → Bolivia
Despite the opponents’ stature, the matches offered compelling glimpses of what lies ahead.
asserted
what → offer → glimpses
Alongside established stars like Emiliano Martínez, Cristian Romero, Enzo Fernández, and Lautaro Martínez, an exciting wave of new talent emerged — creative midfielders Nicolás Paz and Franco Mastantuono, and wingers Gianluca Prestianni and Leonel Flores.
asserted
midfielders → emerge → talent
Flores is a Boca Juniors youth player who made his professional debut just two months ago and has already earned senior national team experience.
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who → make → experience
“There’s a changing of the guard; maybe we have to play differently now, not thinking in terms of ‘Messi and 10 others,’ but rather as a unified team,” supporter Cristian Versalles, 55, told the AP after watching the victory over Burkina Faso on Saturday.
asserted
Versalles → ’ → Saturday
His son, Ramiro, 23, added, “Given the number of players coming through, there’s definitely a new generation ready to step up.
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son → add → players
Paz, playing out of Italian club Como, was one of the scorers.
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Paz → play → scorers
Also at the friendly and wearing the No. 19 jersey — the same one Messi wore during his senior national team debut in 2005 — 10-year-old fan Uzzi Rivero admitted, “It makes me really sad that he doesn’t play for Argentina anymore.”
asserted
he → wear → Argentina
However, the youngster scowled at the suggestion that Argentina might face a trophy-less era following Messi’s retirement.
uncertain
Argentina → scowl → retirement
Another fan, Valentina Gago, 20, said: “I’m excited about Argentina without Messi; my favorite player is Lautaro Martínez.
asserted
player → say → Messi
It’s not the same as Messi but I love him just the same.
asserted
I → ’ → him
With his goal against Burkina Faso, Inter Milan captain Lautaro Martínez ranks as Argentina’s third-highest all-time goal-scorer with 42.
asserted
Martínez → rank → 42
“As long as the players are eager to give their all for the shirt, for me, Argentina will remain a contender,” Gago said.
asserted
Gago → give → me
The world will find out at the 2028 Copa América.
asserted
world → find → América
The Aporia
