One last match: the gold No. 10 and the final Argentina cap
On 21 September 2026 Lionel Messi posted a short video that stopped Argentine football. He took the shirt he wore at the 2026 World Cup off its hanger, hung a new one in its place, and wrote six words: “One last match. A jersey for a lifetime.”
The shirt he hung up is a one-off. Sky-blue base. A single broad white stripe down the centre. MESSI and the No. 10 in gold on the back, with a large Sun of May spreading out from the number. He will wear it exactly once: Argentina v Benin, Tuesday 6 October, Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires — his 208th and final cap.
Quick answer: Messi’s Argentina farewell jersey is a one-off design with a sky-blue base, one broad white stripe down the centre, and his name and the No. 10 in gold on the back beneath a large Sun of May. He wears it once — Argentina v Benin on Tuesday 6 October 2026 at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires — in what will be his 208th and final Argentina appearance.
He is not playing the two earlier friendlies: Bolivia in Córdoba on Wednesday 30 September, or Burkina Faso at the Monumental on Saturday 3 October.
AFA president Claudio Tapia called the fixture “the last tango of the best player in the world”, and Ángel Di María has said he will be in the stands.
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Argentina farewell jersey — men’s, women’s and kids’
The 2026 Argentina farewell fan jersey in three fits, plus every other Messi and Argentina shirt currently in stock.
What Messi revealed on 21 September
The post was a few seconds long and deliberately plain. Messi lifts the Argentina shirt he wore at the 2026 World Cup off its hanger, replaces it with the farewell design, and picks up a pair of white boots. The caption went up in Spanish first — Último partido… Una camiseta para toda la vida — before the English version that travelled further: “One last match. A jersey for a lifetime.”
The reaction told you what the shirt is for. Within hours Argentine supporters were calling it simply the last one — not another match-day jersey for the collection, but the closing item of a 21-year set.
It is not a re-release of the World Cup final shirt. It is a separate piece built for a single fixture, and it looks like one: the most decorated player in Argentina’s history, in the colours he has worn since 2005, in gold.
Why the 6 October match matters
Messi is Argentina’s most capped player and their record scorer. He announced his retirement from international football in August 2026, weeks after Argentina lost the 2026 World Cup final to Spain and after the death of his father, Jorge.
“It was a decision that hurt and still hurts deep down, but I understand that the time has come,” he said. “I have always fought and left everything on the pitch for this shirt.”
The AFA did not let it end there. Tapia went back and asked him for one home game, and Messi accepted — a farewell in front of his own crowd at River Plate’s ground rather than a neutral send-off in a tournament he had already left.
“We made the decision to invite the best player in the world, the symbol of our national team, our captain, Lionel Andrés Messi, so that he can have the farewell he truly deserves on 6 October here in Argentina.”
Claudio Tapia, president of the Argentine Football AssociationTapia also invited every member of the 2022 World Cup-winning squad, and their families, to be at the Monumental. Whatever the result against Benin, the night is built around one player.
The confirmed details
Argentina play three home friendlies in this window. Messi is in the squad for only the last of them.
| Date | Fixture | Venue | Messi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday 30 September | Argentina v Bolivia | Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes, Córdoba | Not playing |
| Saturday 3 October | Argentina v Burkina Faso | Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires | Not playing |
| Tuesday 6 October | Argentina v Benin | Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires | Final cap — 208th |
What is confirmed
- Stadium: Estadio Monumental, River Plate’s ground in Buenos Aires. Capacity is around 85,000.
- Opponent: Benin, arranged by the AFA as the farewell fixture.
- Head coach: Lionel Scaloni. Messi, Rodrigo De Paul and Giovani Lo Celso are all in the party for the Benin match.
- Kick-off: fixture listings have it at 20:00 UTC on Tuesday 6 October — 17:00 in Buenos Aires, 21:00 in London and 22:00 in central Europe. AFA had not published a confirmed kick-off time at the time of writing.
- Tickets: on sale since 22 September through Deportick, the AFA’s official channel. Published prices run from roughly $59 general admission to $316 for the most expensive lower-tier seats, with children’s tickets in the general zone from about $19.
- Attendance: FIFA cut Argentina’s next two home crowds to 50% capacity as a disciplinary sanction carried over from the 2026 World Cup. The Bolivia match in Córdoba on 30 September is the one confirmed at half capacity; the second was suspended as a probation clause and only bites again on a repeat offence. Both fall before 6 October, so the Benin farewell is expected at a full Monumental — although the AFA had not published a confirmed attendance cap at the time of writing.
- Unavailable: Leandro Paredes (10-match ban) and Nahuel Molina (seven) are serving suspensions from the clashes that followed the World Cup final and are not in the squad for this window. Thiago Almada carries a one-match suspension.
- Ceremony: tributes before kick-off, plus a farewell ceremony with Messi on the pitch after the final whistle.
- In the stands: Ángel Di María has confirmed he will attend, and the 2022 World Cup winners and their families have been invited.
What is not confirmed
Messi’s starting status, how long he plays, the Argentina XI, the exact kick-off time and the final appearance count. Expect all of it to be decided in the week of the match.
The farewell shirt, detail by detail
Argentina’s shirts are one of the most recognisable designs in the sport. This one keeps the sky blue and then breaks its own rule: instead of the usual run of vertical bands, the front carries a single broad white stripe down the centre, with the No. 10 sitting on it in gold.
| Detail | The 2026 farewell edition |
|---|---|
| Base colour | Sky blue |
| Front | One broad white stripe down the centre, instead of the familiar run of vertical bands |
| Chest | Messi’s own mark in gold where a manufacturer crest would normally sit, a gold AFA crest, and a gold FIFA World Champions badge |
| Back | MESSI and the No. 10 in gold lettering |
| Back panel | A large shaded Sun of May filling most of the panel, its rays spreading out from the number |
| Trim | Gold on the collar and the sleeve edges |
| Status | A one-off, built for a single fixture |
The special-edition fan version of the farewell design — the same gold No. 10 and Sun of May artwork, in men’s, women’s and kids’ fits.
The career the shirt carries
Messi made his senior Argentina debut in 2005, aged 18, and has been the reference point of the team ever since. The shirt he wears on 6 October closes the book on the two records below.
| Argentina, in numbers | Figure |
|---|---|
| Senior debut | 17 August 2005 v Hungary, aged 18 |
| Caps | 207 before the Benin match — 208 if he plays |
| Goals | 125 — Argentina’s record |
| Assists | 68 |
| World Cup goals | 21 in 34 appearances |
| World Cup finals | Three — 2014, 2022, 2026 |
| Major honours | FIFA World Cup 2022; Copa América 2021 and 2024; Olympic gold 2008 |
| Ballon d’Or | Eight |
He is Argentina’s record appearance-maker and their record scorer, which is the rarer half of the achievement. He reached three World Cup finals across twelve years: beaten by Germany in 2014, winner against France in 2022, beaten by Spain in 2026. One win and two defeats from three finals is a record no one else has, and the 2022 title ended a wait that had defined his international career.
The low points are part of it too. He lost the 2016 Copa América final and briefly walked away from the national team, then came back for the 2021 Copa América that finally broke Argentina’s 28-year run without a major trophy. By the time he retires he will have won everything the game offers.
What to watch on the night
- The 208th cap. Argentina’s appearance record stops on the night.
- The shirt itself. It is the last new Argentina design of his career, and he will wear it for 90 minutes at most.
- The crowd. The Monumental holds around 85,000 and demand for tickets was expected to run into the millions.
- The 2022 squad. The players who won in Qatar, and their families, have been invited back for the night.
- Di María in the stands. His long-time teammate has said he will be there to watch rather than play.
- The goodbye itself. Tributes before kick-off, and a ceremony with Messi on the pitch after the final whistle.
What happens after 6 October
Argentina begin a new era on 7 October. Scaloni’s task is to build an attacking shape without the player who has been its reference point for two decades, with World Cup qualifying and the next Copa América cycle ahead.
Messi is not retiring from football. He continues at club level with Inter Miami in MLS, where the regular season is entering its final month and the club are defending the MLS Cup. The Argentina chapter is the one that closes.
And the No. 10? It will be handed on. The gold version stays an artefact — one shirt, one night, one player.
Related reading
- Every Messi jersey in stockArgentina, Inter Miami and club shirts — 512 itemsBrowse the Messi collection →
- All Argentina shirtsHome, away, concept and fan versions — 1,149 itemsBrowse Argentina jerseys →
- 2026/27 Nations League fixture guideAll 156 matches, dates and European kick-off timesRead the fixture guide →
- More from the news deskMatchday previews and national-team updatesSee all football news →
Get the farewell jersey
The special-edition 2026 Argentina farewell fan jersey, in three fits. Same gold No. 10 and Sun of May artwork, and the name option includes MESSI 10 as a standard choice.
Messi’s Argentina farewell: frequently asked questions
When is Messi’s last match for Argentina?
Tuesday 6 October 2026: Argentina v Benin at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires. It will be his 208th and final Argentina appearance.
What does Messi’s Argentina farewell jersey look like?
A sky-blue base with one broad white stripe down the centre; MESSI and the No. 10 in gold on the back; a large Sun of May spreading across the rear panel; gold trim on the collar and sleeve edges; a gold AFA crest; and Messi’s own mark in gold where a manufacturer crest would normally sit.
Is Messi playing Argentina’s other October friendlies?
No. He is not in the squad for Bolivia (Córdoba, Wednesday 30 September) or Burkina Faso (Buenos Aires, Saturday 3 October). Only Benin.
How many caps and goals will Messi finish on?
207 caps and 125 goals before the Benin match, so 208 caps if he plays. He also has 68 assists, and 21 of his goals came at World Cups.
What time is kick-off?
Fixture listings have it at 20:00 UTC on Tuesday 6 October — 17:00 in Buenos Aires, 21:00 in London and 22:00 in central Europe. The AFA had not published a confirmed kick-off time at the time of writing.
Where can I get the Argentina farewell jersey?
The special-edition fan version is available in men’s, women’s and kids’ fits in the shop section above, and in the Argentina and Messi collections.
Who else will be at the farewell match?
Ángel Di María has said he will be in the stands, and the AFA has invited the 2022 World Cup-winning squad and their families. Messi, Rodrigo De Paul and Giovani Lo Celso are in the squad for the Benin game.
Why is Argentina playing Benin?
The AFA arranged the fixture as Messi’s home farewell. Benin are ranked 93rd in the FIFA rankings and reached the quarter-finals of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, but the opponent is not the point of the night.
Will the Monumental be full for the farewell?
It is expected to be. FIFA cut Argentina’s next two home matches to 50% capacity as a sanction carried over from the World Cup, but both fall before 6 October: Bolivia is the match confirmed at half capacity, and the other was suspended as a probation clause. The AFA had not published a confirmed attendance cap for the Benin match at the time of writing.
Who is missing from the Argentina squad?
Leandro Paredes (10-match ban) and Nahuel Molina (seven) are suspended for the clashes that followed the World Cup final. Thiago Almada carries a one-match suspension. Messi, Rodrigo De Paul and Giovani Lo Celso are all in the squad for the Benin game.
What happens to Argentina after 6 October?
Scaloni’s side begin a new era and the No. 10 is handed on. Messi continues at club level with Inter Miami in MLS.
Confirmed information as of 23 September 2026. Fixture, squad, ticket and ceremony details are as published by the Argentine Football Association (AFA) and reported by Goal, Sports Illustrated, AS and The Touchline. The kick-off time, the starting XI and the final appearance count remain subject to confirmation. The jersey described in the shop section is the special-edition fan version; the single shirt Messi wears on the night is a one-off. Related reading: 2026/27 Nations League fixture guide.