Jonathan Zavaleta
Contact Jonathan Zavaleta by Email View all posts by Jonathan Zavaleta October 6, 2026 Add us as a Google Preferred Source
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Lionel Messi at the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final. Photo by Nicolò Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.
An international friendly between Argentina and Benin wouldn’t necessarily be must-see TV for soccer fans, but this is no ordinary friendly: It’s Lionel Messi‘s final appearance for La Albiceleste. The match is set to be an emotional send-off for the superstar, who led his team to a World Cup and two Copa America championships after over two decades with the team.
At a Glance: How to Watch Messi’s Final Match With Argentina
If you’re looking to stream the game in the U.S., you can watch it on ViX, a Spanish-language streaming service. You can get ViX as a standalone service or with a seven-day free trial through Prime Video. The ad-supported tier starts at $6.99/mo. The Oct. 6 match starts at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.
get vix free trial on prime videoMessi isn’t hanging up his cleats for good — the 39-year-old is signed with Inter Miami through the 2028 MLS season. But this will (likely) be the last time we see Messi donning the iconic blue and white stripes.
The game will also be a send-off for Nicolás Otamendi, the Argentine defender who has been with the team since 2009 and was part of the victorious 2022 World Cup squad.
This isn’t the first time Messi has retired from international football. He stated his intention to hang up his jersey in 2016, after a painful loss to Chile in the Copa America final and Germany in the 2014 World Cup final. Fortunately for Argentina, Messi changed his mind, leading the team to Copa America wins in 2021 and 2024 and the 2022 World Cup. He also led the team to the 2026 World Cup finals, where they narrowly lost to Spain.
His two-decade career with the team made him the most-capped player in the history of La Albiceleste, as well as the team’s all-time scoring leader.
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The Number Two-ranked Argentina are unsurprisingly the favorites heading into the match against Benin, who are ranked 89th by FIFA. Head coach Gernot Rohr leads Benin, while Argentina has been coached by Lionel Scaloni since 2018. Argentina will also have the benefit of a sympathetic home crowd; the match will take place at the 85,000-capacity Estadio Mas Monumental in Buenos Aires.
