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Tickets for Lionel Messi’s final match for Argentina sold out within two hours, underlining the huge anticipation surrounding the football superstar’s farewell from international football.
Argentina are scheduled to face Benin in a friendly at Buenos Aires’ historic Estadio Monumental on October 6. Ticket sales began online at 6pm Tuesday through the Deportick platform, with prices ranging from 90,000 to 480,000 Argentine pesos. All 85,000 tickets were sold out within hours.
Messi had announced his decision to step away from the Argentina national team after their World Cup final defeat to Spain in August. The death of his father, Jorge Messi, also reportedly prompted him to reconsider his future.
The Argentine Football Association (AFA) is planning a special farewell for the 39-year-old. AFA president Claudio Tapia said the entire squad that won the 2022 World Cup had been invited to the ceremony along with their families.
Former Argentina stars including Franco Armani, Nahuel Molina, Gonzalo Montiel, Nicolas Otamendi, Leandro Paredes, Angel Di Maria and Paulo Dybala are expected to return to the Monumental. Di Maria played his own farewell match at the same venue in 2024.
To mark the occasion, the AFA has also designed a special jersey featuring Messi’s name and his iconic No. 10 in a golden pattern. Sharing an image of the shirt on social media, Messi wrote: “One last match. A jersey for a lifetime.”
Messi’s international career spans more than two decades and includes the 2022 World Cup, Copa America titles in 2021 and 2024, the 2022 Finalissima and Olympic gold in 2008.
With 125 goals and 68 assists in 207 appearances, Messi is Argentina’s all-time leading scorer and most-capped player. He is also second on the list of international men’s top scorers, behind Cristiano Ronaldo.
Despite being 39, Messi has also been included in the 30-player shortlist for the 2026 Ballon d’Or following his performances at this year’s World Cup. The award ceremony is scheduled to take place in London on October 26.
Before then, Messi will return to the Monumental for what is expected to be his final international appearance in front of a packed home crowd.