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Lionel Messi Set to Join Argentina Squad Ahead of Farewell

Sports & Gaming • October 01, 2026 • 10 Views
  • Squad arrival: Lionel Messi will join the Argentina national team camp on Sunday following their match against Burkina Faso.
  • Farewell match: The veteran forward is available to play in his international farewell fixture against Benin on October 3 at the Estadio Mâs Monumental.
  • Retirement context: The upcoming game marks a formal final appearance for the 39-year-old, despite his previous decision to step away from international football.

Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has confirmed that Lionel Messi will join the national team camp on Sunday. The arrival follows Argentina’s international friendly match against Burkina Faso on Saturday.

Scaloni also noted that the forward will be available to feature in the upcoming fixture on October 3 if he chooses to play. The 39-year-old previously announced his retirement from international football.

Upcoming Farewell Match

“Messi is expected to join the camp on Sunday after the game against Burkina Faso,” Scaloni told reporters, as quoted by Fabrizio Romano. “If he wants to play on October 3 too, no problem.”

The veteran player is scheduled to feature for La Albiceleste in an international friendly against Benin. The fixture takes place at the Estadio Mâs Monumental in Buenos Aires.

What is the context of Lionel Messi rejoining the Argentina squad?

Lionel Messi is returning to the Argentina national team camp following a friendly against Burkina Faso. Despite announcing his international retirement, the 39-year-old forward is set to make a final appearance for La Albiceleste during a farewell match against Benin at the Estadio Mâs Monumental.

The fixture serves as a formal farewell appearance for the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner. Kickoff is scheduled for Tuesday at the Estadio Mâs Monumental in Buenos Aires.

Lionel Messi is globally celebrated for his unmatched trophy cabinet and record-shattering goalscoring feats in association football. Long before he hoisted the World Cup or dominated European leagues, his career at FC Barcelona nearly collapsed before it even started. At just thirteen years old, the young Argentine prodigy traveled to Spain for a formal trial in the year 2000. Weeks passed without any official paperwork from club executives.

Growing anxious about the delay, Messi’s father issued a blunt ultimatum to the club’s sporting director, Carles Rexach. Rexach realized the club had to act immediately to secure the generational talent. However, no formal paper was immediately available during their urgent meeting at a local tennis club in Barcelona.

The Historic Napkin Agreement

Resourceful as ever, Rexach grabbed a standard paper napkin from the table to draft a binding agreement. He wrote down a formal commitment confirming the club would sign the young player despite any internal doubts. FC Barcelona director Minguella and local agent Horacio Gaggioli also signed as witnesses to the impromptu contract.

That exact paper napkin was carefully preserved in a framed vault for decades as a prized historical artifact. Messi eventually debuted for the senior Barcelona squad in 2004, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest athletes in the history of association football.

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Alagbe Shenayon Elisha (Journalist) Alagbe Shenayon is an emerging multimedia journalist with a Bachelor’s Honours in Communication Studies and four years of newsroom experience. He...