Lionel Messi is preparing to make his final appearance for the Argentina national team as the world champions face Benin at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires on Tuesday, October 6.

The match has been officially designated as Messi's farewell to the Albiceleste, bringing an international career spanning more than two decades to an end.

For fans in Ibiza and across Spain, the match will begin at 01:00 on Wednesday, October 7, with kick-off scheduled for 20:00 local time in Buenos Aires.

AFA Organises Messi's Farewell

The Argentine Football Association has prepared a special evening at the Monumental to honour its captain and one of the most decorated players in the country's history.

The match against Benin is the third and final fixture of Argentina's October international window.

The team comes into the farewell after defeating Burkina Faso at the Monumental on October 3. Messi did not play in either of Argentina's first two matches during the window and is expected to lead the team for his final appearance against Benin.

The AFA has invited members of the Argentina squad that won the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar to take part in the farewell celebrations.

Messi's Final International Chapter

Messi announced on August 31 that he was ending his career with the Argentina national team.

The decision came after the 2026 World Cup, where Argentina reached the final against Spain.

His final appearance will close an international career that began with Argentina's senior team in August 2005.

He leaves the national side as its most-capped player and all-time leading scorer.

According to the AFA, Messi enters his farewell with:

• 207 appearances

• 125 goals

• 66 assists

No other player has represented Argentina more times or scored more goals for the national team.

Four Major Senior International Titles

Messi's Argentina career includes four major senior international trophies.

He won the Copa América in 2021, followed by the Finalissima in 2022 and the FIFA World Cup in Qatar later that year.

Argentina then retained the Copa América title in 2024.

His international honours also include the 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup and the 2008 Olympic gold medal, achieved earlier in his career with Argentina's youth and Olympic teams.

Six World Cups

Messi appeared at six FIFA World Cups during his career.

His journey began at the 2006 tournament in Germany and continued through South Africa 2010, Brazil 2014, Russia 2018, Qatar 2022 and the 2026 World Cup.

The 2014 tournament brought Argentina to the final, where they lost to Germany.

Eight years later, Messi finally lifted the World Cup in Qatar, captaining Argentina to victory over France in one of the most memorable finals in the competition's history.

At the 2026 World Cup, he again reached the final before Argentina were defeated by Spain.

One Final Night at the Monumental

The farewell against Benin will take place at a stadium filled with Argentina supporters eager to see their captain in the national shirt for the last time.

The AFA has described the occasion as much more than an ordinary friendly, with the evening planned around celebrating Messi's career and his contribution to Argentine football.

For the player himself, it marks the conclusion of a journey that began more than 20 years ago and included periods of disappointment as well as some of the greatest successes in Argentina's football history.

After the match, Messi will continue his club career with Inter Miami, where he remains an important part of the Major League Soccer side. Inter Miami has confirmed his participation in the farewell match as part of the October international window.

When to Watch in Ibiza

For viewers in Ibiza, the farewell takes place in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Argentina vs Benin
Tuesday, October 6, 2026
Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires
Kick-off: 20:00 Argentina time
Kick-off in Ibiza: 01:00 Wednesday, October 7

After more than two decades, 207 appearances, 125 goals and four major senior international trophies, Lionel Messi's Argentina career is set to reach its final chapter at the Monumental.