Extensive preparations in Argentina to bid farewell to football legend Lionel Messi

Argentine star Lionel Messi is preparing to play his final match in his national team shirt when Argentina hosts Benin in the early hours of Wednesday morning, in a night expected to witness exceptional ceremonies to bid farewell to one of the most prominent football stars in history. Argentina seeks to organize a farewell befitting the team captain and icon, in a scene different from the end experienced by Argentine football legend Diego Maradona with the national team. Messi's farewell is receiving widespread public attention, as the number of people who entered the online ticket sales platform exceeded half a million people. The famous commentator for Argentine national team matches, Ariel Senosiaín, confirmed that the volume of turnout reflects the fans' desire to be part of this historic moment, adding that the stadium would have been filled even if its capacity reached 200,000 spectators. For his part, Argentina national team coach Lionel Scaloni explained that it would have been possible to fill 5 stadiums with fans wanting to attend Messi's final match with the national team. The Monumental Stadium, home of River Plate, will host about 85,000 fans, while the Argentine Football Association announced the establishment of a huge fan zone named Gracias, Leo near the stadium starting from noon on the day of the match. Argentine national team players will appear during the match in a special shirt bearing names and numbers in gold color, specially designed for this occasion. Invitations were also extended to all players of the national team crowned with the 2022 World Cup title, who were not included in the current squad, to attend the match accompanied by their families. Despite not revealing all the details of the tribute ceremonies, Argentine media outlets spoke about a special program to celebrate the Inter Miami star. A number of artists are expected to perform shows before the start of the match, while the largest part of the tribute ceremony is expected to take place after the final whistle. Information indicated that Messi will receive a commemorative plaque and a special shirt, and he may also watch a video clip displayed on the stadium screens before delivering a speech in front of the fans. Messi, born in the city of Rosario, joined the Argentina national team camp on Sunday and underwent his first training session before sharing a barbecue meal with his teammates. On Monday, he will undergo his final training session with the national team before the match, which is expected to mark the end of his international career full of titles and achievements.