Messi farewell match set for October 6

BUENOS AIRES (AP):

Lionel Messi might have one last dance with Argentina after all.

Despite announcing his international retirement, the 39-year-old Inter Miami star was included yesterday in Lionel Scaloni’s 28-man Argentina squad ahead of three home friendlies.

Messi has yet to confirm whether he will join the team, but the head of Argentina football said the icon accepted the invitation for the October 6 game against Benin in Buenos Aires for what will be a grand finale.

“After a conversation with senior national team coach Lionel Scaloni, we decided to invite the best player in the world — our icon, our captain Lionel Messi — so that he can have the farewell he deserves on October 6,” said Claudio Tapia, president of the Argentine Football Association.

Messi led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title and helped the Albiceleste reach the final at the 2026 edition.

“Furthermore, having received Lionel’s acceptance,” Tapia said, “we want to invite all the Qatar World Cup champions to join him, along with their families, to witness the ‘last tango’ of the world’s best player.”

Earlier, Argentina had announced it would face Bolivia, Burkina Faso and Benin in their first batch of friendly matches following Messi’s retirement from the national team after a 21-year spell.

The country’s football association said the home match against Bolivia will take place September 30 at the Mario Alberto Kempes Stadium in Córdoba.

The Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires will host the friendlies against Burkina Faso and Benin on October 3 and October 6, respectively.

Focus also turns to the future of Scaloni, whose contract expires in December. Scaloni had hinted he might step down following the 1-0 loss to Spain in the World Cup final on July 19.

Three Argentina players — Leandro Paredes, Nahuel Molina and Thiago Almada — were recently handed bans by FIFA for a scuffle after losing the World Cup final. Paredes received a 10-match ban.