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Lionel Messi has revealed the special Argentina jersey he will wear when he makes his final appearance for the national team against Benin on October 6 at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires.
The 39-year-old forward unveiled the commemorative shirt on Instagram on Monday, accompanied by the message: “One last match… A jersey for a lifetime.” The match has been arranged as a farewell appearance after Messi announced his retirement from international football last month.
The shirt retains Argentina’s familiar sky-blue and white colours but has a distinctive design for Messi’s farewell. Instead of the traditional multiple vertical stripes, it features a sky-blue base with a broad white stripe down the centre.
Tonal rays inspired by the Sun of May, the emblem featured on Argentina’s national flag, spread across the front and back of the shirt. The motif is particularly prominent on the reverse, surrounding Messi’s name and his iconic No. 10.
The name MESSI and No. 10 are printed in gold, while the Argentina crest also features gold detailing. Reports on the commemorative design say Messi’s personal “M” logo appears on the right chest instead of the usual Adidas performance logo, giving the shirt a more personal touch.
The special kit has been designed specifically for the occasion, rather than as Argentina’s regular team shirt. Its black collar and sleeve detailing, combined with gold accents, further distinguish it from the standard national-team strip.
Messi’s farewell match will come after a 21-year senior international career in which he became Argentina’s record appearance-maker and leading scorer. He has made 207 appearances and scored 125 goals for the national team.
His international career has included the 2021 and 2024 Copa América titles and Argentina’s 2022 World Cup triumph in Qatar. He also won Olympic gold with Argentina in 2008.
The October 6 match will be Messi’s final appearance for Argentina, but it is not a reversal of his retirement decision. The Argentine Football Association has described the fixture as a farewell for the captain and national-team icon.
Argentina will play two other friendlies during the same international window, facing Bolivia in Córdoba on September 30 and Burkina Faso at the Monumental on October 3 before Messi returns for the farewell against Benin.
Messi continues his club career with Inter Miami. Last week, he scored his 100th goal for the MLS club in a 2-0 victory over Cruz Azul in the Campeones Cup.
The October 6 fixture will give Argentina fans one final opportunity to see Messi wearing the national-team shirt on home soil — with a specially designed jersey marking the end of his international career.
