More than 21 years ago, on August 17, 2005, Lionel Messi made his first appearance for the Argentinian national team, getting sent off less than a minute in after dragging down a Hungarian attacker in the attacking third. Since then, he’s appeared 206 more times for the Albiceleste, scoring 125 goals and contributing 68 assists, leading them to World Cup glory in 2022 and the final in both 2014 and 2026.
Tonight, Messi will don his country’s sky blue and white one final time. Despite officially announcing his international retirement in August, he was elevated to Argentina’s squad for a friendly against Benin at 7 p.m. ET tonight. The match is expected to draw 85,000 fans to the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, with millions more on TV hoping to pay tribute to arguably the greatest player ever to live.
Below, I’ll break down my favorite prop bet centered around Messi one final time as he wraps up his unfathomable career.
Argentina vs. Benin odds
The Albiceleste are such heavy favorites that a Moneyline isn’t available at DraftKings Sportsbook, while Les Guépards are +150000. There are +4500 odds that the final match of Messi’s career will end in a draw.
Lionel Messi Best Prop Bet
Lionel Messi 1st Goalscorer (+150): It wouldn’t be a surprise if Messi takes more than half of Argentina’s shots in his national team farewell. While Benin is a solid team on the cusp of challenging Africa’s elite, Les Guépards are an attacking-oriented side, and their players, too, idolize Messi and wouldn’t mind seeing him go out with a goal. He’ll open the scoring in an emotional moment in front of nearly 100,000 roaring fans.
Best Lionel Messi Prop Bet
Lionel Messi 1st Goalscorer (+150)
I’m sure that the adoring crowd in Buenos Aires will cheer vociferously every time Messi touches the ball and boo with equal vigor when any Argentina player not named Messi possesses it, although Nicolás Otamendi, who’s also retiring from the national team, will likely get some celebration of his own. This night is about the country’s sporting idol, who’s still a world-class player in his own right; he had eight goals and four assists at the World Cup and is currently in line to finish with the most goals and most assists in MLS. Messi managed 22 more shots and 13 more shots on target than any other Albiceleste player in the World Cup, and he’s managed eight more goals, 97 more shots, and 35 more shots on target than any other Inter Miami player in MLS. He has nothing to rest up for and the match is meaningless, so he should play all 90 minutes.
For what it’s worth, the Benin national team isn’t terrible. Les Guépards narrowly finished third behind Nigeria and South Africa in CAF World Cup qualifying, and they made it to the Round of 16 in last winter’s Africa Cup of Nations, only narrowly falling to World Cup sides DR Congo, Morocco, and Egypt and drawing with the Super Eagles. Junior Olaitan, a Beşiktaş midfielder, is a talented player worth €12 million on Transfermarkt. But Benin is more of an attacking-oriented team, giving up the fourth-most goals of any team to finish in the top three of its group in CAF World Cup qualifying, and many of its players don’t seem bothered with giving up a goal to Messi. Defender Mohamed Tijani joked with reporters that he wouldn’t bother defending Messi, allowing his idol to score in a proper farewell.
