International football takes over for the next two weeks, but one date stands above the rest. On October 6, Lionel Messi will make his farewell appearance for Argentina against Benin at the Monumental. Argentina’s 2022 World Cup winners and their families have also been invited, giving the supporters one last opportunity to celebrate their captain in the shirt that has defined so much of his career.
Cristiano Ronaldo is not ready for that goodbye just yet. He remains in Portugal’s plans under new coach Jorge Jesus, with 1,000 career goals getting closer. Could he make it to Euro 2028, or will this be his final season? Even Ronaldo says he does not know when he will stop.
Around them, national teams across the world are back in action. Europe begins its Nations League campaign, while Africa turns to qualifying for the next continental championship. There is Nations League football in Concacaf too, alongside a busy friendly schedule involving South American and Asian teams, with New Zealand also travelling for matches. Some countries are chasing points. Others are using this first window after the World Cup to decide what comes next.
One More Night in Argentina’s Number 10
in 2016, Messi briefly walked away from international football. For a player who had won so much at club level, Argentina remained the unfinished part of his career.
Then came the breakthrough against Brazil at the Maracanã in 2021.
That Copa América title was followed by the Finalissima and the 2022 World Cup, before Argentina retained their continental crown in 2024. Those four senior trophies sit alongside his Under 20 World Cup title from 2005 and Olympic gold from Beijing in 2008. He also won the World Cup Golden Ball in both 2014 and 2022.
His World Cup story eventually stretched across six editions, with 34 appearances and 21 goals. Argentina reached another final in 2026, although defeat by Spain meant there would be no second World Cup trophy to take home.
The Monumental now gets the chance to thank him properly. Messi has revealed a special shirt for the occasion, and the invitation to his World Cup teammates makes clear how much this evening means. For supporters who lived through every painful final before finally celebrating with him, October 6 will be about much more than the football.
Ronaldo Still Has a Number in Mind
Messi has a farewell date. Ronaldo has 1,000 goals to chase.
Ahead of this international window, the Portuguese forward stands on 979 career goals, leaving him 21 short of the milestone. He has said he would love to reach it while playing for Portugal. After everything he has already achieved in that shirt, it would be quite a way to add another chapter.
His national team figures are remarkable on their own. Ronaldo has scored 146 goals in 233 appearances, holding the men’s international records for both. Since making his debut in 2003, he has helped Portugal win Euro 2016 and the Nations League in 2019 and 2025.
At 41, he still has the backing to contribute. Jorge Jesus has confirmed that Ronaldo will start against Wales, although the new coach has also made clear that selection depends on his performances. His status as a Portuguese legend is secure. His place in the team still comes with expectations.
So how much longer can this continue?
Ronaldo has acknowledged that this could be his final year, but he has not committed to a retirement date. Euro 2028 would mean playing at 43, making it a possibility to discuss rather than a plan to assume. For now, the pursuit of 1,000 gives us another reason to keep watching. Whether reaching it would finally persuade him to stop is something only he can decide.
Plenty Happening Beyond the Farewells
Europe’s Nations League begins on September 24, with Netherlands against Germany among the standout opening fixtures. Portugal start their title defence against Wales before visiting Norway on September 27, where a potential meeting between Ronaldo and Erling Haaland should attract plenty of attention. Most European teams will play four matches before October 6, so the group tables could look very different by the time club football returns.
South America’s leading teams are using the window for friendlies. Argentina face Bolivia on September 30 and Burkina Faso on October 3 before Messi’s farewell, while Brazil travel to Australia for two games against the Socceroos. For Australia, these are also valuable opportunities to prepare for the Asian Cup early next year. Facing Brazil at home should give those preparations a little extra intensity.
There are more meetings between Asian and South American teams elsewhere. Japan face Uruguay on September 24, while South Korea take on Ecuador the same day. These fixtures give coaches a chance to test their teams against unfamiliar opposition and see which players deserve a bigger role in the months ahead.
The United States are taking that opportunity seriously. Mauricio Pochettino has selected a squad featuring 13 uncapped players, including 16-year-old Cavan Sullivan, for matches against Peru, Chile, Mexico and Canada. The meeting with Mexico on October 3 is an obvious attraction, but seeing how the younger players handle senior international football could be just as interesting.
That friendly schedule runs alongside the Concacaf Nations League, which also determines the route to the 2027 Gold Cup. The United States, Mexico, Canada and Panama enter at the quarterfinal stage in November, while the other League A teams must first earn their places.
In Africa, qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations brings competitive football straight back into focus. Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda will jointly host the finals, taking the tournament back to East Africa for the first time since 1976. There are new stories on the touchline as well, with Patrick Vieira beginning his spell in charge of Senegal. Nigeria, meanwhile, must start their campaign without injured striker Victor Osimhen.
Oceania is involved too. New Zealand have arranged games against Palestine and China as part of a four-match window, giving the All Whites further opportunities to develop against teams outside their own region.
There is enough happening to make this more than a wait for the domestic leagues to return. New players will get their chances, and some countries will already feel the pressure of competitive results. But on October 6, the attention will turn back to Buenos Aires, where Argentina will say goodbye to the player who gave them so many reasons to believe.
Poker.pro International Football Picks
All of our international football picks are available on Stake.com. Explore the odds for the Nations League and international friendlies, and put together your own selections for the break.
