Lionel Messi prepares for Argentina farewell after final training session

Lionel Messi has shared an emotional message ahead of what is expected to be his final appearance for Argentina, posting images from his last training session with the national team.

The 39-year-old captain appeared in the photographs alongside his team-mates and members of the coaching staff. Writing on his social media accounts, Messi captioned the collection: “Special moments that I know I will miss.”

The message underlined the significance of the occasion as Messi prepares to bring his international career with the Albiceleste to a close.

He is due to play his final match for Argentina against Benin in the early hours of Tuesday at the Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires. The fixture is expected to be a historic night for the number 10 and the captain of the national team.

Messi has represented Argentina in the shirt for more than two decades, helping create one of the most successful chapters in the country’s football history through a series of major titles and achievements.

The Argentine Football Association has prepared a number of special tribute events for Messi, meaning the meeting with Benin is set to become an exceptional farewell for a player whose name has been closely associated with the greatest moments in Argentine football in the modern era.