Lionel Messi will bring the curtain down on his glittering Argentina career with a farewell friendly against Benin that marks the dawn of a new era for the South American champions.
After more than two decades of service to his country, the 39-year-old superstar will hand over the captain’s armband for good as he makes his final appearance in the Albiceleste jersey today at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.
Messi will be joined for his international swansong by 85,000 spectators and several of the teammates with whom he reached the pinnacle of football at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, alongside members of Argentina’s emerging generation.
The friendly marks a symbolic passing of the torch for a player whose international legacy includes a World Cup title, two Copa America crowns and the Finalissima.
Messi will also bow out as Argentina’s record appearance-maker and leading scorer with 125 goals in 207 games as well as a record 68 assists.
His farewell comes two and a half months after Argentina’s ill-tempered World Cup final defeat to Spain in New Jersey, where Messi exited in tears after making little impression.
“I gave it my all. I have nothing left to give, and besides, there are great young players coming up who deserve their chance,” Messi wrote when announcing his international retirement in August.
Messi remains under contract with Inter Miami until 2028 although after the death of his father, Jorge, two months ago, he revealed he may hang up his boots for good sooner than anticipated.
Argentina swept the Bolivians aside 4-0 with young talents Nico Paz and Jose Manuel Lopez among the scorers.
They followed that victory with a 7-0 rout of Burkina Faso at the Monumental on Saturday with Mastantuono and Gianluca Prestianni scoring their first international goals.
While Argentina’s future is beginning to take shape, one small but symbolically significant question remains: Who will inherit Messi’s number 10 shirt?
“We won’t give the number 10 to anyone until Leo’s match takes place,” Scaloni said. “After that, we’ll see.”-AFP
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