Messi set for Argentina farewell match after retirement
Lionel Messi
Abdullateef Fowewe
Lionel Messi is expected to be included in Argentina’s squad for the upcoming international break, giving the football legend one final appearance in the Albiceleste shirt, Dailyeconomy gathered.
According to reports from ESPN Argentina, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) plans to call up the Inter Miami star so he can say a proper farewell to fans during at least one of the three scheduled friendlies in late September and early October.
The move comes just over two weeks after Messi formally announced his retirement from international football.
The 39-year-old confirmed his decision on August 31, stating that the choice “hurts deep in my soul” but that the time had come. His last match for Argentina was the 2026 World Cup final, where the team lost to Spain.
Over a 21-year international career, Messi earned 207 caps and scored 125 goals.
He captained the side to the 2022 World Cup title and Copa América triumphs in 2021 and 2024, transforming a long and sometimes difficult relationship with the national team into one of the most successful eras in Argentine football history.
Officials have reportedly been working quietly on the farewell while respecting Messi’s wishes.
Fans and teammates are expected to turn the occasion into an emotional tribute to one of the greatest players the game has ever seen.
