Argentine star Lionel Messi tops his national team's squad list for the upcoming international friendlies, a step paving the way for his final appearance in the "Albiceleste" shirt, amid an anticipated celebration from Argentine fans.
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Coach Lionel Scaloni announced the national team squad, which includes Messi alongside a number of the team's most prominent stars, as well as a group of young talents, in preparation for the upcoming matches.
Messi is expected to play a farewell match against Benin on October 6, at the "Monumental" stadium in Buenos Aires, after the national team captain agreed to take part in the match, which is expected to feature a tribute to his historic career with Argentina.
President of the Argentine Football Association, Claudio Tapia, affirmed that invitations would be extended to a number of Messi's teammates who were crowned with him at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, to join him for this occasion alongside their families, in a celebratory atmosphere befitting his career with the national team.
Scaloni's squad list includes, alongside Messi, prominent names such as Emiliano Martínez, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martínez, Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister, Rodrigo De Paul, Julián Álvarez, and Lautaro Martínez.
The list also featured a number of young faces, including Román Vega, Matías Soulé, Gianluca Prestianni, and Santiago Castro, as part of Scaloni's continued effort to give opportunities to a new generation of players.
Argentina begins its window with a match against Bolivia on September 30 in the city of Córdoba, before facing Burkina Faso on October 3, then closing out its matches against Benin on October 6 at the "Monumental" stadium.
The match against Benin is expected to draw special attention, as it may mark the final chapter of Messi's international career, following years filled with achievements with the national team, most notably winning the 2022 World Cup and the Copa América.
At the same time, the future of coach Lionel Scaloni with the Argentine national team remains open, as his contract approaches its end in December, while the "Tango Dancers" national team prepares to begin a new chapter following the end of the 2026 World Cup era.
Resource: Al Ghad.
