*It Is For A Deserved Farewell, Country’s Football Association Says
Though he has hung his international boots, eight-time Ballon D’Or winner Lionel Messi has been called up by Argentina to make a farewell appearance in a home friendly in October following his retirement, the Argentinian Football Association (AFA) has confirmed.
“We invited the best player in the world to play, the icon of our selection, our captain Lionel Andrés Messi, to have a deserved farewell on 6 October, here in Argentina,” the AFA President, Claudio Tapia, said on social media.
Argentina will play three home friendlies during the 21 September to 6 October FIFA international window, their first matches since the World Cup.
They will take on Benin in Buenos Aires’ Monumental Stadium on 6 October, where Messi, who announced his retirement from international football last month, has been invited to play his farewell match.
Argentina will also face Bolivia at Córdoba’s Mario Kempes Stadium on 30 September before moving to Buenos Aires to host Burkina Faso on 3 October.
The Bolivia match will be played with capacity reduced by 50% as part of FIFA’s sanctions relating to incidents during this year’s World Cup.
“Footballers Messi, [Rodrigo] De Paul and [Giovani] Lo Celso will be in attendance to take part in the final friendly on 6 October. Meanwhile, the names of the players called up from the local league will be announced on Friday,” the AFA said in a statement announcing the squad.
Leandro Paredes, Nahuel Molina and Thiago Almada must serve suspensions of 10 matches, seven matches and one match respectively for their roles in an altercation after the World Cup final against Spain.
*PHOTO CAPTION: Messi.
