(FILES) Argentinian forward Lionel Messi (R) is tackled by Mexican defender Rafael Marquez (L) during the World Cup 2006 round of 16 football game Argentina vs. Mexico, 24 June 2006 at Leipzig stadium. AFP PHOTO DANIEL GARCIA. It will be both a farewell and the start of a new era: Lionel Messi will bid farewell to the Argentina national football team in a friendly match against Benin on October 6, 2026, at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires, where a large celebration is expected to pay tribute to the Argentine star. (Photo by DANIEL GARCIA / AFP via Getty Images)