Superstar Lionel Messi arrived in Rosario, Argentina, with his family on Friday. His mission: to add the final brushstroke to a glittering career in the national team jersey.

Legendary Messi is set to play his farewell international match against Benin next Wednesday at 5:00 AM (Bangladesh time) at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires. This marks the conclusion of a golden chapter spanning over two decades with the *Albiceleste*.

Messi made the difficult decision to retire from international football just two days after the loss to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final. Subsequently, on August 31, the forward officially announced his retirement via a handwritten note posted on social media. He wrote, "After much reflection since the final, I want to inform everyone that I am retiring from the national team..."

Messi was included in the Argentina squad for this international break specifically to play this farewell match.

Argentina is scheduled to play a friendly match against Burkina Faso at the same stadium this coming Sunday at 6:00 AM. However, the entire team and fans worldwide are focused on the upcoming friendly against Benin.

It had been decided in consultation with coach Lionel Scaloni and Argentine Football Association (AFA) President Claudio Tapia that Messi would take the field only against Benin. Consequently, the 39-year-old footballer has not yet joined training sessions at the AFA complex in Ezeiza, although his teammates and the coaching staff are eagerly awaiting his return.

Messi's club, Inter Miami, has no matches scheduled in Major League Soccer (MLS) this week. Taking advantage of this, he flew overnight from Fort Lauderdale and landed at Rosario's Malvinas International Airport early this morning. He is accompanied by his wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, and their three children to witness this historic moment of his farewell.

It goes without saying that Messi—the record eight-time Ballon d'Or winner—will be in the starting XI, wear the captain's armband, and don his iconic number 10 jersey for the match against Benin. A special edition jersey has been created for the Argentina national team to mark this occasion. Later, the jersey will take a place of honor in his personal collection alongside his various achievements and trophies.

Messi is expected to join the Argentina squad either today or tomorrow.