Lionel Messi plays his 208th and final game for Argentina against Benin in an international friendly at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires on Tuesday night, with kick-off at midnight UK time (12am on Wednesday 7 October). Scaloni’s World Cup runners-up have scored 11 goals without reply in their last two friendlies, while Benin arrive unbeaten in their first two 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Anthony Eadson’s Argentina vs Benin predictions, best bets and score prediction are below.
Premium Tips
Anthony Eadson has two Premium Tips for Messi’s farewell night in Buenos Aires.
| Premium Tip | Odds | Why we’re backing it |
|---|---|---|
| Argentina over 4.5 team goals | 10/11 (William Hill) | Argentina have scored 11 goals without reply in their two games since the World Cup final, beating Bolivia 4-0 and Burkina Faso 7-0, and they hit five or more in three of their last nine friendlies, including 6-0 against Puerto Rico and 5-0 against Zambia. Benin, meanwhile, have suffered heavy defeats against strong sides recently, losing 5-1 to Togo, 4-0 to Nigeria and 3-0 to Senegal, and they face a team ranked 91 places above them in the FIFA rankings. With Messi set to start his final game in front of the Monumental crowd, backing Argentina to score five or more appeals at 10/11. |
| Argentina to win and both teams to score | 5/2 (BetVictor) | Benin have scored in each of their last seven matches, a run that includes a goal against Egypt at AFCON and two in last week’s 2-1 win over Mauritania. Argentina, meanwhile, kept clean sheets in only two of their eight World Cup games, conceding against Jordan, Cape Verde, Egypt, Switzerland, England and Spain. Tosin Aiyegun scored a penalty against Burkina Faso last month and Rodolfo Aloko netted twice against Mauritania, so Benin carry a threat on the break. Scaloni’s side have still won 16 of their last 17, which makes an Argentina win with a Benin consolation goal good value at 5/2. |
18+ only. Please gamble responsibly. GambleAware — gambleaware.org · Odds correct at time of publishing.
How Argentina go into the game
Argentina come into Messi’s send-off on the back of two thumping wins, beating Bolivia 4-0 in Cordoba and Burkina Faso 7-0 at the Monumental on Saturday. Those results followed a run to the World Cup final, where Scaloni’s side won seven straight games before losing 1-0 to Spain after extra time. As a result, they have won 16 of their last 17 matches and kept clean sheets in eight of their last nine friendlies. Messi, who announced his international retirement on 31 August, was called up for this game only and was not involved in either of those friendlies and signs off with 125 goals in 207 caps. He scored eight times at this summer’s World Cup, winning the Silver Ball and Silver Boot, although he drew a blank in the last three knockout games against Switzerland, England and Spain.
Juan Foyth and Thiago Almada withdrew from the original squad through injury, while left-back Nicolas Tagliafico is a doubt after missing both friendlies with a fitness issue. Rodrigo De Paul and Giovani Lo Celso could return to the starting line-up after Scaloni left them out of the last two games. Nicolas Otamendi also joins up for a final appearance after retiring from international football in July. In addition, AFA president Claudio Tapia has invited Argentina’s 2022 World Cup winners to the occasion. Messi arrives in red-hot club form too, with 12 goals in 13 Inter Miami appearances since the World Cup final, including a goal in each of his last four.
How Benin go into the game
Benin, coached by Gernot Rohr since 2023, arrive in Buenos Aires unbeaten in their two 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. They drew 1-1 with Burkina Faso in Ouagadougou on 25 September, with Tosin Aiyegun scoring from the spot, and then beat Mauritania 2-1 in Abidjan four days later thanks to a Rodolfo Aloko double. That win marked the first time The Cheetahs had scored more than once in a game since a 4-0 victory over Lesotho in September 2025, and it left them on four points from two games.
However, Benin’s record against stronger sides makes for grim reading. They lost 5-1 to Togo in June, 4-0 to Nigeria in World Cup qualifying last October and 3-0 to Senegal at AFCON, before a 3-1 extra-time defeat to Egypt ended their tournament in the last 16. Right-back Abdoul Rachid Moumini could not travel because of administrative issues, while Dokou Dodo has returned to his club, Arab Contractors. Meanwhile, forward Sahid Ngobi, who has three caps, is also in the squad. On a brighter note, Benin have scored in each of their last seven matches.
Argentina vs Benin head-to-head
Tuesday’s friendly will be the first ever meeting between the two nations, so there is no head-to-head record to go on. Benin have never qualified for a World Cup, while Messi will be hoping to score against a 46th different country in his final international outing.
Argentina vs Benin predictions & betting tips
| Our Prediction | Odds & Bookmaker | Confidence | Why We’re Backing It |
|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina over 4.5 team goals | 10/11 (William Hill) | ⭐⭐⭐ | Argentina scored five or more in three of their last nine friendlies. |
| Argentina to win and both teams to score | 5/2 (BetVictor) | ⭐⭐ | Benin have scored in seven straight games; Argentina conceded in six of eight World Cup matches. |
| Both teams to score and over 4.5 goals | 17/5 (Ladbrokes) | ⭐⭐ | Benin’s seven-game scoring run meets Argentina’s firepower. |
| Penalty awarded in the match | 5/6 (Sky Bet) | ⭐⭐ | Both of Benin’s AFCON qualifiers featured a penalty, with three spot-kicks in those two games. |
| Correct score: Argentina 5-1 Benin | 18/1 (bet365) | ⭐⭐ | Fits both Premium Tips and Benin’s seven-game scoring run. |
Argentina vs Benin score prediction
Messi’s final bow should bring a flood of goals for the hosts, but Benin have scored in seven games in a row and can grab a consolation on a celebratory night. Score prediction: Argentina 5-1 Benin.
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