Messi readies for final farewell in Argentina send-off
Lionel Messi will bring the curtain down on his glittering Argentina career on Tuesday with a farewell friendly against Benin that marks the dawn of a new era for the South American champions.
After more than two decades of service to his country, the 39-year-old superstar will hand over the captain's armband for good as he makes his final appearance in the Albiceleste jersey at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.
Messi will be joined for his international swansong by 85,000 spectators and several of the teammates with whom he reached the pinnacle of football at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, alongside members of Argentina's emerging generation.
The friendly marks a symbolic passing of the torch for a player whose international legacy includes a World Cup title, two Copa America crowns and the Finalissima.
Messi also bows out as Argentina's record appearance-maker and leading scorer, with 125 goals in 207 games, as well as a record 68 assists.
His farewell comes two and a half months after Argentina's ill-tempered World Cup final defeat to Spain in New Jersey, where Messi exited in tears after making little impression.
"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.
Messi remains under contract with Inter Miami until 2028, although following the death of his father, Jorge, two months ago, he revealed he may hang up his boots for good sooner than anticipated.
- Friends reunited -
Members of Argentina's 2022 World Cup-winning squad -- the players who delivered the country's third star -- and their families will join Messi for Tuesday's farewell against Benin, ranked 93rd in the world.
Veterans of that Doha triumph such as Angel Di María, who retired from international football in 2024, will be there to witness the passing of the torch to a new generation charged with extending the Albiceleste's golden era.
Several of the newcomers, including Franco Mastantuono and Leonel Flores, were not even born when "La Pulga" ("The Flea") made his Argentina debut in 2005 for a team whose history had for so long been dominated by Diego Maradona.
"It's going to be an unforgettable day for everyone. Everyone wants to be at this match, and now it's just about enjoying it," Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said.
Argentina's new generation has already shown what it can do without its captain, although nobody is pretending replacing a man regarded by many as the greatest footballer in history will be straightforward.
"Collectively, we will try to fill the void left by Leo," said Scaloni, who is negotiating a contract extension after leaving his future unresolved following the World Cup defeat in July.
Scaloni, who mastered the art of building the right supporting cast around Messi, will also say goodbye on Tuesday to 38-year-old vice-captain Nicolas Otamendi.
Like Messi and Otamendi, midfielders Rodrigo De Paul and Giovani Lo Celso were called up solely for the Benin game, raising the possibility that neither will represent Argentina again.
- New generation -
Those certain to be involved, at least from the bench, include other veterans of the 2022 World Cup who will be the standard-bearers for Argentina after Messi: defender Cristian Romero, midfielders Alexis Mac Allister and Enzo Fernandez, and forwards Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez.
Tenacious center-back Romero is set to inherit the captain's armband, first worn by Messi at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and Lautaro Martinez are next in the captaincy hierarchy.
They have already begun to rally around Messi's heirs, who showed their appetite for success in Argentina's first game since the World Cup final, against Bolivia in Cordoba on Wednesday.
Argentina swept the Bolivians aside 4-0, with young talents Nico Paz and Jose Manuel Lopez among the scorers.
They followed that victory with a 7-0 rout of Burkina Faso at the Monumental on Saturday, with Mastantuono and Gianluca Prestianni scoring their first international goals.
While Argentina's future is beginning to take shape, one small but symbolically significant question remains: who inherits Messi's number 10 shirt?
"We won't give the number 10 to anyone until Leo's match takes place," Scaloni said. "After that, we'll see."