Shafaq News- Buenos Aires

Lionel Messi has been named in Argentina's squad for its next set of international friendlies, setting up a final appearance in the national team's shirt weeks after he announced his retirement from international football.

Coach Lionel Scaloni included Messi alongside several of the team's leading players and a group of younger talents for the matches ahead, the country's first since the 2026 World Cup. Messi is set to feature in the friendly against Benin on October 6 at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires, a match expected to double as a tribute to his career with Argentina.

The captain agreed to take part after being invited to a send-off in front of home supporters. Argentina open the window against Bolivia on September 30 in Córdoba, then host Burkina Faso on October 3, before closing against Benin.

Claudio Tapia, president of the Argentine Football Association (AFA), said he would invite the teammates who won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar alongside Messi to join the occasion with their families, in what he called "the last tango of the best player in the world."

The Benin match is expected to draw particular attention as the likely final chapter of Messi's international career, which included the 2022 World Cup title and the Copa América.

Scaloni's own future with Argentina remains open, with his contract set to expire in December as the team begins a new phase after the 2026 World Cup.