Lionel Messi's Argentina farewell set for 1am in France

Lionel Messi will make his final appearance for Argentina against Benin on Tuesday, bringing his international career to a close after more than two decades. The friendly was arranged quickly after the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner announced his international retirement at the end of August.

Kick-off is scheduled for 8pm in Argentina, which means a 1am start on Wednesday in metropolitan France. The match will not be shown on a free-to-air television channel. L’Équipe holds the rights and will stream the game through L’Équipe Live Foot.

The farewell takes place at Buenos Aires’ Monumental stadium, where 85,000 people are expected to attend. Messi leaves the national team with 208 caps, 125 goals and 65 assists, alongside a collection of major honours. The occasion will also be followed well beyond Argentina, although viewers in Europe face a late-night start.

Messi’s final Argentina appearance comes at 39, with the Benin friendly serving as a celebration of his international career rather than a competitive fixture. Fans in France will therefore need access to L’Équipe’s online platform and a late night to watch the Inter Miami forward’s farewell.