The captain of the Argentine national team, Lionel Messi, completed his last practice with the Albiceleste on Monday, just over a day before his official farewell to Benín. The session, which started just before 18:00 local time, was held at the venue of the Argentine Football Association (AFA) in Ezeiza, province of Buenos Aires, which has borne his name since 2023.
The farewell routine
The training, observed by the press, included initial physical work and, after the start signal, rounds and passing exercises in reduced spaces, where Messi exchanged jokes and passes with his teammates. The practice also featured the presence of former players Ezequiel Lavezzi and Cristian “Kily” González, who is currently Messi’s coach at Inter Miami.
Team and context
The 39-year-old forward showed closeness to Rodrigo de Paul, his teammate at Inter Miami, along with Giovani Lo Celso and Nicolás Otamendi, who returned after being absent in the games against Bolivia and Burkina Faso. All, including Otamendi, who will also mark his last appearance with the team, were called up for the match on Tuesday.
The great farewell
Messi announced his retirement from the Albiceleste on August 31. With 208 call-ups, the player will have his last match against Benín on Tuesday at the Monumental Stadium, at 20:00 local time (23:00 GMT). The match, which will be his 208th with the team, will be celebrated with a tribute from the club, the fans, and several of his champion teammates from Qatar.
The friendly will close a series of three matches for Argentina, which relies on victories against Bolivia and Burkina Faso to test new combinations and players before the start of the next phase.
Credits: deultimominuto.com
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