Scaloni begins shaping Argentina after Messi’s farewell night

A closing night and an immediate question

Argentina beat Benin 3-0 on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at Estadio Monumental, on a night the Argentine Football Association presented as Lionel Messi’s farewell before the Argentine public. Nicolás Otamendi, Nicolás Paz and Messi scored after a first half that ended 0-0.

The result closed a FIFA window filled with symbolism, but the sporting focus quickly shifted to what comes next. On Wednesday, October 7, AFA published comments from Lionel Scaloni and several players, with one central idea already visible: the world champions are entering a stage in which they must sustain their game without relying on the regular presence of their historic captain.

Scaloni’s message: legacy and team

Scaloni framed the farewell in both emotional and football terms. According to AFA’s official publication, the coach expressed gratitude for having coached Messi, spoke of an “incredible” legacy and stressed that the squad will need collective answers to make up for his absence.

The phrase that organized the new scenario was short: “this continues.” In that same line, Scaloni pointed to the emergence of young players and the need for the team to remain strong as a structure. For Argentina, the challenge is not to replace Messi one for one, but to redistribute responsibility in a national team that comes from years of trophies and an identity closely tied to its number 10.

The players face the gap left by the captain

The statements released by AFA show that the dressing room processed the night as more than a friendly. Enzo Fernández said the squad will miss Messi; Lisandro Martínez spoke about how hard it is to take in that he will not be there in the next window; and Franco Mastantuono described him as a childhood idol and inspiration.

There were also readings from the experienced core. Nicolás Otamendi, who scored the opening goal, described the match as a special closing chapter and linked his goal to an assist from Messi. That meeting of generations captures the moment: the champions who shared the captain’s era now coexist with players who will have to carry more weight in the cycle ahead.

Why it matters now

The farewell was not only a ceremony. Argentina had built its most successful recent cycle around a stable core, with Messi as a technical, emotional and symbolic reference. The 3-0 win over Benin left a closing image, but the comments afterward opened a concrete agenda: how to sustain competitiveness, leadership and play in the coming call-ups.

That is why Scaloni’s first public message after the match carries more weight than nostalgia. The coach did not present an individual replacement or a grand promise: he spoke about the team, young players and continuity. For a national team long used to living around Messi, that will be the first real measure of the new stage.