🐐 Argentina gears up for Messi's farewell 🩵 Benin: no marking, just a party

🐐 Argentina gears up for Messi's farewell 🩵 Benin: no marking, just a party Leo Messi is preparing for his final night in the Albiceleste shirt. The superstar from Rosario is ready to bid farewell to the national team, at the end of a journey filled with success and iconic moments. Watch every Serie BKT match live with LaB Channel on OneFootball: subscribe for just €9.99 a month! The two Copa América titles , Olympic gold at Beijing 2008, the Finalissima against Italy and, of course, the World Cup in Qatar , the final piece he needed to stand alongside His Majesty Diego Armando Maradona. In total, 207 appearances and 125 goals wearing Argentina's number 10. Only Spain denied him the joy of bowing out with another World Cup in his trophy cabinet, in a tournament where Messi, even at 39, played a decisive role . For this, for all of this, his people are preparing to pay him the most heartfelt of tributes. 🐐 Benin's players: "We won't mark him, he's a god" The moment has finally arrived. Tonight, at 1 a.m. Italian time, the World Cup runners-up face Benin at the Monumental, usually home to River Plate. There has been no shortage of controversy over the choice of opponent , but it is what it is. Benin, however, were clearly delighted with the AFA's choice, at least judging by the reaction of their players, who were interviewed by Argentine journalists while shopping for Messi souvenirs . " I picked up a few things for my son! We'll be playing against the best in the world, the god of football ," said national team defender Tijani Mohamed . " How will I mark him? I won't, there's no plan to stop him. I'll admire him, he's a god. I watched the World Cup matches; Spain were a very strong team, but I was hoping Argentina would win ." In short, even the opposition are getting ready for the celebration! 🚃 Even the metro is joining the celebration Meanwhile, on the streets of the capital, there's a sense of a major occasion . For the evening, metro services will also be adjusted, with closing time pushed back until after 1 a.m. To announce this, Subte chose a decidedly romantic approach. The city's monuments, meanwhile, have already been lit up in white and sky blue for hours to bid farewell to Leo. 🩵 Rosario's enormous tribute In his hometown of Rosario, a giant Albiceleste shirt has appeared, bearing the number 10 and the word GRACIAS . And this is only the beginning. Tonight promises tears , emotional moments and plenty of scenes that will become iconic over time. It's Leo Messi's night, and all of Argentina is coming to a standstill. It will be one of those days that stay etched forever in the minds of his fans around the world. This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.