Messi unveils special No. 10 jersey ahead of Argentina farewell

Lionel Messi has offered a first glimpse of a special No. 10 jersey he is set to wear in what is expected to be his final appearance for Argentina.

In a video posted on Instagram on Monday (September 21), the Argentina captain is seen removing his World Cup shirt before hanging the specially designed No. 10 jersey on a wall.

“Just one more match… a jersey for a lifetime,” Messi wrote alongside the video.

Messi is expected to wear the commemorative jersey for the first time on October 6, when Argentina face Benin at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires.

The Argentine Football Association has confirmed Messi’s participation in the match as a farewell appearance following his international retirement.

Argentina also have friendlies against Bolivia on September 30 and Burkina Faso on October 3, but Messi is not expected to feature in either match.

The AFA is preparing a special farewell for the 39-year-old, with members of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning squad and their families invited to the Monumental.

The occasion is expected to bring together many of the teammates with whom Messi ended Argentina’s long wait for a World Cup triumph in Qatar.

Messi announced his international retirement on August 31 after a record-breaking career with Argentina. He leaves as the national team’s all-time leading scorer and appearance-maker, with 125 goals in 207 matches. His major international honours include the 2022 World Cup and Copa America titles in 2021 and 2024.