Messi didn’t want to play farewell, suspects AFA is using his last game to make millions in his name: News
Lionel Messi is about to play the last match of his Argentine career, but saying goodbye was not something he would immediately welcome. The occasion was always going to mean a lot after more than two decades with the national team, yet there was another issue behind the scenes, with Messi saying he questioned whether the match was really about saying goodbye or simply cashing in on his name.
Messi reportedly had doubts about the farewell match
Messi will play his 208th and final senior international match for Argentina against Benin at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires on Tuesday, October 6, with the match starting at 4:30 AM IST on Wednesday for viewers in India.The 39-year-old decided to end his Argentina career following the team’s 2026 World Cup final defeat to Spain in New Jersey, where Messi left the pitch in tears after failing to make the impact he had hoped for in the match.His decision came during an already difficult period following his father’s illness and subsequent death, with Messi admitting that ending his international career was a painful choice after all he had given to Argentina.“I swear to you that I always gave everything – not only in these last years when we won everything, but also before that; I always fought and left everything on the pitch for this shirt, to bring you joy and to make you feel proud to be Argentine through football,” Messi said when he announced his retirement.
Argentina’s Lionel Messi (10) cries at the end of the World Cup soccer match between Spain and Argentina in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, Sunday, July 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
According to Gazzetta dello SportHowever, Messi was initially reluctant to accept the idea of a farewell friendly with Benin, believing that the Argentine Football Association could use the opportunity to generate significant revenue from his legacy.“Messi himself was not keen on the idea of this tribute match as he saw it as the ultimate money-making venture for the AFA, securing millions in revenue on his behalf.” Magazine reportedThe report also noted that Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni had expressed some skepticism about the farewell, suggesting that he too had doubts about how the occasion was organised.Messi eventually agreed to play, although the match continued to attract controversy over the way the match came together.
The AFA was said to be looking for opponents who would not demand a fee
Argentina’s extended international break included three scheduled home friendlies against Bolivia, Burkina Faso and Benin, with the latter agreeing to be Messi’s farewell opponents.“Benin agreed to attend Messi’s farewell for free, content only to appear in a historic photo.”The outlet also claimed that Benin’s usual asking price would be significant, while the AFA tasked a Colombian agency to find friendly opponents who would not demand a fee.The circumstances added an unusual commercial element to what should otherwise be one of the most emotional nights in Argentine football, especially with around 85,000 expected at the Monumental.Members of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning squad and their families will attend the farewell and join Messi alongside members of the country’s rising generation as the national team begin life beyond their longest-serving modern captain.Lionel Scaloni, who built the Argentina side around Messi and helped the country’s greatest successes, will also oversee the farewell to 38-year-old vice-captain Nicolás Otamendi.Rodrigo De Paul and Giovani Lo Celso have also been called up specifically for the Benin match, raising the possibility that this game could also be their final appearances for Argentina.
Messi leaves Argentina with numbers and trophies that few can match
Messi’s departure will bring to a close an international career that already ranks him among the most decorated players in Argentina’s history, with a World Cup, two Copa America titles and a Finalissimo among his major honours.He currently holds the Argentine records for appearances, goals and assists, entering the farewell with 207 senior caps, 125 goals and 68 assists.With 125 goals, he is 69 ahead of Gabriel Batistuta, Argentina’s second top scorer, while in 207 games he is 61 ahead of Javier Mascherano.Messi will also leave Argentina as one of only four players to have made more than 200 senior international appearances, although Luka Modrić is expected to overtake him on the all-time list.Unlike Modrić and Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi leaves with a World Cup title alongside two Copa America victories, while Ronaldo’s Portugal won one European Championship during his international career.Messi remains under contract with Inter Miami until 2028, although he acknowledged his playing career could end sooner than expected following the death of his father two months ago.Whatever happens after Tuesday night, Argentina’s final match with Messi as captain will bring together the players who helped him finally win it all with the national team and the next generation preparing to take his place. Despite all the emotion surrounding the farewell, Messi’s reported hesitation shows that even his last night in the famous blue and white shirt was not as easy as it first appeared.