Messi bids farewell to Argentina on Tuesday: Everything you need to know

Football superstar Lionel Messi is set to bid farewell to the Argentine national team on Tuesday, as the Albiceleste takes on Benin.

The 39-year-old star announced his decision to retire from international duty in August, with a heartfelt message posted on his Instagram account. 

At the time, he said it was “a decision that hurts in [his] soul,” but that he understood “the time has come.”

In early September, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) announced that Messi would take the pitch for a final game on October 6 against Benin at River Plate’s Monumental Stadium, bringing the curtain down on 21 years representing Argentina.

For the match, the squad will wear a special-edition jersey inspired by the national flag, featuring two sky-blue stripes and a wide white one in the middle, with the Sol de Mayo (Sun of May) in the center. The design also includes Messi’s commercial logo on the right breast and golden trims on the collar and sleeves.

The match is set to kick off at 8 p.m. Argentina time, with activities planned for the whole day.

A special fan fest AFA will host a “Gracias, Leo” (Thanks, Leo) Fan Fest starting at 12 p.m., with live music, entertainment, food, games, interactive experiences, and appearances by special guests, influencers, and streamers.

The event will be held at the University of Buenos Aires sports field, located in front of the River Plate stadium, and the Argentina vs. Benin match will be shown on a giant screen installed specially for the event.

Tickets for the Fan Fest can be purchased through online ticket platform Deportick and start at AR$30,000 (US$19).

How to watch the game Tickets for Messi’s farewell match sold out on the day they went on sale, with unofficial resale sites listing them at prices starting at AR$800,000 (US$512).

River Plate’s stadium is located at Av. Pres. Figueroa Alcorta 7597 and can be reached by several public transportation options.

Bus lines 15, 28, 29, 37, 42, 57, 107, 130, 152, and 160 all drop off passengers along Avenida Figueroa Alcorta or Avenida Libertador, a few blocks from the stadium.

For train access, the Belgrano Norte line Ciudad Universitaria station is in front of the University of Buenos Aires campus.

The Mitre line Núñez station is located just over 2 kilometers from the stadium, as is the Line D Buenos Aires subway Congreso de Tucumán station.

The match will be broadcast on the cable sports channel TyC Sports and streamed on its online platform, TyC Sports Play.