Lionel Messi will have the opportunity to bring his career with the Argentine national team to a close in front of his home crowd. After announcing his retirement from international soccer, the star was included in the roster for the Albiceleste’s upcoming friendly matches, although the AFA clarified that he will only play in the match against Benin on October 6 in Buenos Aires.
The match, which will be played at the Monumental Stadium, will be billed as the Argentine captain’s “last tango.” Claudio Tapia, president of the Argentine Football Association, confirmed that Messi accepted the invitation to receive the send-off that, in his words, the national team’s icon deserves.
Messi, who brought his 21-year international career to a close on August 31, leaves behind a legacy of 125 goals and the 2022 World Cup title in Qatar. The celebration will also feature the players who won that World Cup.
Before the tribute, Argentina will face Bolivia on September 30 at the Mario Alberto Kempes Stadium in Córdoba and Burkina Faso on October 3, once again at the Monumental. The three matches will mark the Albiceleste’s reunion with its fans following its runner-up finish at the World Cup.
Scaloni, also under scrutiny
The series of friendlies will feature another point of interest: Lionel Scaloni’s future. The coach’s contract expires in December, and he had hinted that he might step down after the loss to Spain in the World Cup final on July 19.
Tapia, however, has already offered him a contract extension and assured that, for now, he is not considering another coach to fill the position.
A roster with returns and absences
For this first roster call-up following the World Cup, Scaloni named 28 players, with a significant core from the squad that competed in the last World Cup.
Nahuel Molina, Leandro Paredes, and Thiago Almada are not on the list; they were suspended for assaulting Spanish opponents after the final. Paredes received a 10-game suspension, Molina a seven-game suspension, and Almada a one-game suspension.
Nicolás Otamendi, who retired from the national team after the World Cup, was also not called up.
Notable additions include the return of Franco Mastantuono, as well as the call-ups of young players Román Vega, Matías Soulé, Gianluca Prestianni, and Santiago Castro.
Squad List
Goalkeepers: Emiliano Martínez, Juan Musso, and Gerónimo Rulli.
Defenders: Agustín Giay, Leonardo Balerdi, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martínez, Juan Foyth, Facundo Medina, Nicolás Tagliafico, and Román Vega.
Midfielders: Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister, Valentín Barco, Giovani Lo Celso, Exequiel Palacios, Rodrigo De Paul, Nicolás Paz, Franco Mastantuono, Matías Soulé, Giuliano Simeone, Nicolás González, and Gianluca Prestianni.
Forwards: José Manuel López, Santiago Castro, Julián Álvarez, Lautaro Martínez, and Lionel Messi.
The AFA also clarified that, like Messi, Rodrigo De Paul and Giovani Lo Celso will be available for the final friendly match against Benin on October 6.
