Lionel Messi set for final Argentina appearance against Benin

Lionel Messi will win his 208th and final cap for Argentina when Lionel Scaloni’s side face Benin in a friendly in Buenos Aires on Tuesday.

The match will be played at the iconic Estadio Monumental, where Messi has made 28 international appearances. The 39-year-old announced his international retirement in August after a 21-year career with Argentina.

His decision confirmed that the World Cup final defeat by Spain was his last competitive appearance for his country, but he will now have one final opportunity to play for Argentina in an emotional farewell expected to honour the nation’s greatest footballer.

Messi will retire as Argentina’s record goalscorer and most-capped player, having scored 125 goals in 207 appearances. Twenty-one of those goals have come in 34 World Cup matches, including seven during Argentina’s triumphant 2022 campaign, when he helped end his country’s 36-year wait for football’s biggest prize.

He also won two Copa America titles and a Finalissima with Argentina. Since the World Cup final, Messi has scored 12 goals in 13 matches for Inter Miami, finding the net in each of his past four appearances.

Argentina returned to action before Messi’s arrival with emphatic victories over Bolivia, 4-0, and Burkina Faso, 7-0. Burkina Faso fielded an inexperienced side because of travel problems.

Scaloni’s team are strong favourites in this first meeting with Benin, while Messi will hope to score against a 64th different nation. Benin are ranked 87 places below Argentina in the FIFA rankings but will seek a strong performance on a high-profile occasion.

The West African side began the current international period with a 1-1 draw against Burkina Faso in their opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, after losing 5-1 to Togo in their final friendly of the June window. They then beat Mauritania 2-1 at home last Saturday, with a double from Charlotte FC forward Rodolfo Aloko taking them to four points from two matches.

That was Benin’s first game with more than one goal since a 4-0 win over Lesotho in September 2025. They have conceded no more than once in five of their past six matches, although restricting Argentina to a single goal will be a major challenge.

Argentina’s friendly form is six successive wins; their overall record is V, V, V, D, V, V. Benin’s friendly sequence is V, V, N, D, while their overall form is V, V, N, D, N, V.

Villarreal defender Juan Foyth and River Plate forward Thiago Almada have withdrawn because of injuries. Nicolas Tagliafico remains doubtful after missing the wins over Bolivia and Burkina Faso with a physical problem.

Rodrigo De Paul and Giovani Lo Celso could return after being left out of the previous two friendlies. Messi is expected to start, with Lautaro Martinez likely to make way. Nicolas Otamendi could also play his final international match after announcing his retirement in July.

Benin will be without right-back Abdoul Rachid Moumini, who could not travel because of administrative problems. Dokou Dodo has returned to Arab Contractors after featuring as a substitute in the first two friendlies, while three-cap forward Sahid Ngobi has joined the squad.

Probable teams

Argentina: Martinez; Giay, Otamendi, Romero, Medina; De Paul, Mac Allister, Lo Celso, Paz; Messi, Alvarez.

Benin: Djandjinou; Azongnitode, Roche, Tijani, Ourou; Hassane, D’Almeida; Aloko, Olaitan, Ourorou; Tosin.

Argentina will want to mark Messi’s farewell with victory, and their dominance in their past two matches suggests the hosts should create enough chances for him to add to his international goal tally.