Sports

Scaloni: ‘Only Nostalgia Remains’ As Messi Prepares For Argentina Farewell

Published October 6, 2026 at 3:27 PM

Key Takeaways

Argentina manager, Lionel Scaloni, said “only nostalgia remains” as Lionel Messi prepares for his final national-team appearance against Benin in Buenos Aires.
Lionel Messi, 39, announced his international retirement on August 31, six weeks after Argentina’s World Cup final loss to Spain, but Scaloni said he could return.
Messi will exit as Argentina’s most-capped player and top scorer with 125 goals in 207 games, while continuing his club career at Inter Miami until 2028.

Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni says “only nostalgia remains” as Lionel Messi prepares to make his final appearance for the national team against Benin in Buenos Aires.

Messi will earn his 208th cap when Argentina face Benin in a farewell friendly at the sold-out Monumental Stadium on Tuesday, with kick-off at midnight BST on Wednesday, October 7.

Naija News reports that the 39-year-old announced his retirement from international football on 31 August, six weeks after Argentina’s World Cup final defeat by Spain, saying he had nothing more to give. Scaloni, however, has insisted that Messi could return if he changes his mind.

The Argentina manager reflected on the captain’s influence after sharing major successes with him, including Copa America titles and the 2022 World Cup.

“Messi leaves behind something unequalled,” Scaloni stated, as quoted by ESPN.

“We have to keep playing, but the feeling of having him on the pitch is unique. I’ve never seen anyone else convey what he does on a football field, and that is what we’re going to miss.

“Only nostalgia remains now that he won’t be there. He is an incredible example. The first to arrive, the last to leave, how he takes care of himself, how he faces each game.

“You can see he is a phenomenon just by how he plays, but he has things behind him that his teammates see, and he is the best example there can be. He has left, or is leaving, because he has one more game, something incomparable.”

Messi will leave international football as Argentina’s most-capped player and record goalscorer, having scored 125 goals in 207 appearances.

His club career will continue with Inter Miami, where his contract runs until the end of the 2028 season.

Author:

Ernest Victor

Victor Ernest Osong is a passionate communicator, teacher, poet, well-trained journalist, creative strategist, purpose-driven storyteller, and realist. With a strong foundation in writing, editing, content development, and leadership, he specializes in shaping narratives that inform, inspire, and ignite action. Email: [email protected]