Buenos Aires, Oct 5 (IANS) Lionel Messi will take the field for the final time for Argentina’s national team against Benin on Wednesday (as per IST) as he closes one of the most illustrious careers the sport has ever seen.
Argentina will be hosting Benin, a 93rd-ranked team, at the Estadio Mas Monumental in Buenos Aires, as thousands of spectators at the venue and lakhs on their screens will bid farewell to the legend.
Messi arrived on the scene in August 2005 for a friendly against Hungary and went on to become one of the legends of the game. During his time with La Albiceleste, he has won the 2022 World Cup, two Copa America trophies and the Finalissima.
He has been a runner-up twice in the World Cup, once in 2014 and then in 2026. In the hearts of the fans already, he was forced to reverse his initial retirement in 2016, a shock decision he announced after Argentina’s defeat to Chile on penalties in the Copa America final.
He later went on to win two Copa Americas in 2021 and 2024, the Finalissima in 2022 with the 2022 World Cup victory being the cherry on the top.
However, the time now arrives for Messi to pass the torch for Argentina to nurture their present and stay a force that the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner helped them become.
There will also be his long-time teammates Rodrigo De Paul and Giovani Lo Celso in the squad, while the 2022 World Cup winners who are no longer part of the national team are also set to be in attendance in the stands for Messi’s final dance.
He has already joined the camp for training and would be eager to hit the ground running for one final time with the national team.
For Benin, though, it is a chance to catch a glimpse of one of the biggest icons. The torch passed from Diego Maradona to Messi; now it will be time for Messi to hand over the baton to the future of Argentina. His legacy must be long remembered, and his farewell well cherished.
When: Wednesday, at 4:30 AM (as per IST)
Where: Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires
How to watch: The live telecast for the Argentina vs Benin match will not be available in India. It will be streamed live on ZEE5 digitally.
–IANS
vm/bc
