Lionel Messi has joined up with Argentina at the Ezeiza training centre ahead of what is expected to be his final appearance for the national team, against Benin after midnight tomorrow.
Messi arrived in the country several days ago on a private aircraft to prepare for his last international match. After visiting his home city of Rosario, the forward travelled to Buenos Aires to meet up with Lionel Scaloni’s squad.
According to A Bola, Messi had been expected to miss Argentina’s match in Cordoba against Bolivia and their emphatic victory over Burkina Faso. He is, however, set to feature at the Monumental Stadium on Tuesday in the third and final game of this international period, against Benin.
To mark the occasion, Messi will wear a special Argentina shirt designed specifically for the match. It will become the latest addition to his personal collection of medals and trophies.
The shirt features two broad vertical light-blue stripes, with a white panel in the centre decorated by the sun from Argentina’s flag. Messi’s name and number are presented in gold.
Preparations for the Benin fixture began with Sunday’s training session, followed by a sizeable barbecue featuring a range of different meats. Argentina Football Association president Claudio Tapia joined in with the cooking and wrote: “All this for my sons.”
Argentina are due to hold another training session on Monday. Messi and Scaloni are also expected to speak to the media before the match.
However, the preparations for Benin have been affected by difficult conditions in the country, alongside other logistical problems. Similar issues arose with Burkina Faso, who sent their Under-23 side after the senior team refused to travel.
A video posted by TyC Sports showed the Argentina squad enjoying the barbecue two days before the Benin match. Its caption described the gathering as: “The national team’s barbecue ahead of Messi day,” adding that the players had enjoyed “a classic that is very much ours”.
The Benin fixture will therefore serve as the centrepiece of Argentina’s current international schedule and Messi’s farewell period with the national side.