Scaloni: Messi’s Argentina Home Farewell Will Leave Huge Void
Lionel Scaloni has described Argentina’s approaching farewell to Lionel Messi as a moment that will leave an emotional and sporting absence, with Tuesday’s friendly against Benin at the Estadio Monumental set to be the captain’s final international appearance on home soil.
Argentina farewell match at a glance
| Item | Detail | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Latest result | Argentina 7-0 Burkina Faso | Victory preceding the Benin friendly |
| Final home international | Tuesday | Argentina v Benin at Estadio Monumental |
| Messi honours | Eight Ballons d’Or | World Cup and Copa America winner with Argentina |
The 7-0 win over Burkina Faso was followed by immediate attention on Messi’s impending international retirement. Scaloni, who managed the forward through Argentina’s Copa America successes and the 2022 World Cup triumph in Qatar, said the national side would continue without its most celebrated player but could not replicate the feeling he creates on the pitch.
Scaloni said nostalgia was now inevitable. He stressed that Messi’s influence extends beyond his technical quality, affecting opponents, team-mates and supporters of both Argentina and rival sides. In the coach’s view, that universal reaction is something he has not witnessed with any other player, and it is the quality Argentina will feel most keenly after Messi’s departure.
Messi’s lasting example, Scaloni added, is not limited to the goals, assists and decisive moments that defined his international career. The Argentina manager highlighted the 38-year-old’s preparation and commitment to the squad, saying Messi arrives early, leaves late and maintains demanding standards in the way he looks after himself and approaches every match.
That conduct has been particularly significant because Messi has continued to report for international duty even in circumstances where Argentina had already achieved qualification or could have managed without him. Scaloni believes the standards witnessed daily by the squad offer an incomparable reference point for the players who follow him.
A Monumental tribute
The fixture with Benin is expected to serve as a celebration of Messi and the central group of Argentina players who delivered the country’s first World Cup since 1986. Demand for places at the Monumental has been exceptional, with Scaloni saying the occasion could have filled five stadiums of that size.
The coach said messages requesting tickets had arrived from across the country and beyond, underlining the difficulty supporters have faced in trying to attend. He expects a deeply emotional occasion from the instant Messi enters the field, both for the player and for those around him.
Scaloni said the night should belong to Messi as well as the team-mates who shared Argentina’s greatest recent achievements. He expressed gratitude at being involved in an occasion he expects supporters to remember for years.
Scaloni addresses his own future
Questions also remain over Scaloni’s position after Messi’s final appearance, although the coach said his decision-making is not driven by pressure to remain in the job. He referred to advice associated with former Argentina managers Carlos Bilardo and Alejandro Sabella when explaining the personal demands attached to leading the national team.
Scaloni said the role carries major responsibility, but insisted he must preserve a balanced life outside football. Without that balance, he warned, the Argentina post could become all-consuming; for now, he said, he remains able to continue living normally while managing the world champions.
