One last time for Argentina

Lionel Messi has returned to Argentina countless times over the past two decades. For much of his career, each return carried another expectation, another tournament or another chance to finally deliver the glory that had eluded him. On Sunday, there was none of that. This time, Messi returns simply to say goodbye, with Argentina preparing to celebrate the end of an era with a farewell friendly against Benin at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires tomorrow (5:00 am Bangladesh time).

After more than two decades in the blue and white, the 39-year-old will wear the Argentina shirt for the final time, with 85,000 fans expected to witness the farewell alongside several of the teammates with whom he reached football’s summit at the 2022 World Cup.
 

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It is a symbolic passing of the torch for a player whose international legacy includes a World Cup, two Copa America titles and the Finalissima. Messi, who made his debut in 2005, also leaves as Argentina’s record appearance-maker and leading scorer, with 125 goals in 207 games, as well as a record 68 assists.
 

“I gave it my all; I have nothing left to give, and besides, there are great young players coming up who deserve their chance,” Messi wrote when announcing his international retirement in August.
 

His farewell comes two and a half months after Argentina’s ill-tempered World Cup final defeat to Spain in New Jersey, where Messi left the pitch in tears after making little impact.
 

He remains under contract with Inter Miami until 2028, although the death of his father, Jorge, two months ago prompted Messi to reveal that he could bring his playing career to an end sooner than expected.
 

Members of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup-winning squad -- the players who delivered the country’s third star -- and their families will join him against Benin, ranked 93rd in the world.
 

The new generation has already shown it can thrive without its captain, although nobody expects replacing arguably the greatest footballer of all time.
 

“Collectively, we will try to fill the void left by Leo,” coach Lionel Scaloni said.
 

Scaloni, who mastered the art of building the right supporting cast around Messi, will also say goodbye on Tuesday to 38-year-old vice-captain Nicolas Otamendi. Midfielders Rodrigo De Paul and Giovani Lo Celso were called up solely for the Benin game, meaning it could also be their final appearance for Argentina.
 

Those set to become the standard-bearers of the post-Messi era include Cristian Romero, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez, Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez. Romero is expected to inherit the captain’s armband, first worn by Messi at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, with Emiliano Martinez and Lautaro next in the hierarchy.
 

Argentina swept Bolivia aside 4-0 in their first game since the World Cup final, with youngsters Nico Paz and Jose Manuel Lopez among the scorers. They followed that with a 7-0 rout of Burkina Faso at the Monumental on Saturday, where Mastantuono and Gianluca Prestianni scored their first international goals.
Yet one question remains: who gets Messi’s No. 10?
 

“We won’t give the number 10 to anyone until Leo’s match takes place,” Scaloni said. “After that, we’ll see.”
 

And that may be the clearest symbol of what Tuesday represents. Argentina are stepping into an era without the player who has been at the centre of their success for so long. Messi’s presence was never ceremonial; he remained their best player until the end.
 

Now comes the difficult part. Can Argentina adapt without his magic, or will the collective work ethic and unity cultivated during Messi’s reign be enough to keep them among the world’s best?
 

Those questions can wait. For now, Argentina have 90 minutes to celebrate what they had, what Messi achieved for them and the memories he leaves behind.
 

They had already won the lottery once with Maradona. It may be a long wait before they strike gold a third time. Fortunately, Messi has given them memories to last a lifetime.