Lionel Messi has offered supporters a first look at the shirt he is set to wear for his final appearance for Argentina on home soil.
Messi shared images of the special jersey on Instagram ahead of Argentina’s planned farewell match against Benin at River Plate’s stadium on October 6.
The shirt features Messi’s name and his famous No. 10 in gold, with a distinctive pattern on the back. Alongside the images, the Argentina captain wrote: “One last match, a jersey for a lifetime.”
The October 6 fixture is expected to mark Messi’s final appearance for Argentina in front of his home supporters. Rodrigo De Paul and Giovani Lo Celso are also scheduled to be involved in the match.
Argentina are due to play three friendlies between September 21 and October 6. Lionel Scaloni’s side will face Bolivia at the Mario Alberto Kempes Stadium in Cordoba on September 30 before meeting Burkina Faso and Benin in Buenos Aires.
Messi announced his decision to retire from international football earlier this month, bringing an end to one of the most decorated careers in Argentina’s history.
His journey with the national team included several painful setbacks before an extraordinary run of success. Argentina lost the 2014 World Cup final to Germany and the 2016 Copa America final to Chile, but Messi eventually helped end the country’s 28-year wait for a major trophy with victory at the 2021 Copa America.
He then captained Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar in 2022, scoring twice against France in the final before converting his penalty in the shootout. Argentina retained the Copa America title in 2024.
Messi’s six World Cup appearances, spanning 2006 to 2026, produced 21 goals in 34 matches. At the 2026 tournament, he scored eight goals and provided four assists, including his first World Cup hat-trick against Algeria.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner will now turn his focus to his club career with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.
