Lionel Messi will play his final match for Argentina on Tuesday.

The friendly against Benin in Buenos Aires is being called “The Night That No One Wants to End.”

It will be his last game for his country.

The 39-year-old announced his international retirement after Argentina lost the World Cup final to Spain in July.

He said the time had come.

The Argentine Football Association asked him to make one last appearance.

The AFA called it “the farewell he deserves.”

Thousands of fans are expected at Estadio Monumental.

The AFA said the match will “transcend sports” and be “full of emotion.”

Messi posted pictures of himself joining the national team and his final training sessions.

He wrote that these were special moments he knows he will miss.

Argentina lost the July final 1-0 in New Jersey.

The team fell short of back-to-back World Cups.

Messi had led Argentina to the title in Qatar four years earlier, emulating Diego Maradona.

Messi played 207 games for Argentina.

He retires as its all-time top scorer with 125 goals, 21 of them at World Cups.

He appeared in a record-tying six World Cups, along with Cristiano Ronaldo.

He briefly retired from international duty in 2016.

He then won Copa Américas in 2021 and 2024 and the 2022 World Cup.

He continues to play for Inter Miami, where he recently won the Campeones Cup, his fourth trophy with the club.