Lionel Messi‘s farewell match for the Argentina national team has sparked tremendous excitement. All tickets for the friendly against Benin, scheduled for October 6 at River Plate Stadium in Buenos Aires, sold out in under two hours.
Following Argentina’s loss to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final, Messi announced his retirement from international football. In late August, the 39-year-old officially confirmed he was ending his international career.
However, Messi was unexpectedly included in Argentina’s squad for the friendly against Benin. This match will serve as a farewell for the captain. Alongside him, the national team will also bid goodbye to Giovani Lo Celso and Rodrigo De Paul.
Claudio Tapia, president of the Argentine Football Association, described the upcoming game as “the last tango of the world’s best player.” The match will take place at River Plate Stadium, which holds over 80,000 spectators.
Demand for tickets was so overwhelming that the entire allocation sold out in less than two hours. On the ticketing site Deportick.com, where sales were conducted, the word “Agotado”—meaning “Sold Out”—soon appeared.
According to La Nacion, fans faced virtual queues lasting over an hour, and even after waiting, not everyone managed to secure a ticket. Prices ranged from 52 to 277 euros.
This upcoming game will mark Messi’s 208th and final appearance for the Argentina national team. He holds the record for both most caps and most goals, having scored 125 times for his country—both records in Argentine football history.
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