Lionel Scaloni has confirmed that Lionel Messi will play his final match for Argentina in a friendly against Benin on October 6.
Messi announced his international retirement in August, a move that has sparked reaction from the football world. Scaloni has now revealed he is determined to ensure he receives a fitting tribute from his adoring supporters.
Scaloni revealed that he personally pushed for the farewell match to take place during this international window.
The manager wanted to guarantee his own presence on the touchline for such a historic moment.
”I believe that a player like him deserves that,” Scaloni told reporters. “And I personally contributed my bit because I want to be at his farewell. And since today I don’t know if I would be available later on, we made an effort so that he could be in this match.
”We knew everything he was going through, and yet he put in the desire and effort to come and say goodbye with his people, with the people who love him so much. And I think if there’s a tribute to be made, it should be done now, because later on, the magic might not be the same. And I believe now is the time for him to feel that love from everyone.”
Lionel Scaloni and Lionel Messi (Photo by Patrick Smith – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
Messi will retire as the greatest player in Argentina history. He is the country’s all-time leading scorer, having netted 125 goals – a number that could potentially increase during this international break.
”For me, getting to coach him was the ultimate experience. It was a dream. I told him so, and I’ll say it for the rest of my life. There will never be anyone like him,” Scaloni added. “It’s very rare for a player like that to come along – not just because of what he does on the pitch, but because of everything he conveys off it. Let’s enjoy this.
”After the World Cup he just played, there isn’t much more to add. If the award is for the best player, there’s no doubt. It’s already spoken for, the statistics prove it. As long as he’s on a football pitch, it’s hard to argue that he doesn’t deserve it.”
