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How to watch Lionel Messi's final Argentina match in the UK
Oct 06 2026 14:48 · By Chris Davie · 23 Reads
Lionel Messi calls time on his Argentina career tonight (SPP/Shutterstock)
Lionel Messi finally calls time on his Argentina career tonight as he plays his final game for the national side.
The 39-year-old will make his 208th appearance for Argentina as they face Benin in a friendly at the Monumental in Buenos Aires on Tuesday night (Wednesday 00:00 BST).
Messi is already Argentina’s most-capped player in history and is the South American nation’s all-time record scorer with 125 goals.
With Argentina, Messi has won two Copa America titles in 2021 and 2024 and famously guided his nation to victory at the World Cup in 2022.
This summer, Messi narrowly missed out on winning a second World Cup trophy as Argentina were beaten 1-0 by Spain in the final.
At the end of August, Messi announced his decision to retire from international football, saying that he had ‘nothing left to give’.
Messi added: ‘Time is running short, chapters come to a close, and this is one that hurts me deeply.
‘I love, have loved, and will always love being part of the national team.
‘I’ve given it my all, I have nothing left to give, and besides, there are some really great young players coming through behind me who deserve their chance.’
Viewers in the UK will be able to watch Argentina vs Benin on Premier Sports 2.