Lionel Messi has been named in Argentina‘s squad ahead of a farewell match to mark his international retirement.
Messi, 39, announced two months after Argentina’s World Cup final defeat to Spain that he would be ending his glittering international career with immediate effect.
However, Argentine Football Association (AFA) president Claudio Tapia confirmed on Tuesday that Messi would face Benin on October 6.
“We invited the best player in the world to play, our captain Lionel Andres Messi, to have a deserved farewell on October 6, here in Argentina,” Tapia said on social media.
The farewell match will be held at the The Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, after Argentina had played matches against Bolivia and Burkina Faso.
Argentina’s first match since the World Cup final will be played against Bolivia at Cordoba’s Mario Kempes Stadium on September 30 before moving to Buenos Aires to host Burkina Faso on October 3.
The Bolivia match will be played with capacity reduced by 50 per cent as part of Fifa sanctions relating to incidents during this year’s World Cup.
Leandro Paredes, Nahuel Molina and Thiago Almada must serve suspensions of 10, seven and one match respectively for their roles in an altercation during the World Cup final against Spain.
