Long before Lionel Messi became the face of Argentine football, Spain had already become a major part of his life. He moved to Barcelona at just 13 years old and grew into one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. After spending most of his club career in Spain, Messi went on to win the World Cup with Argentina before announcing his international retirement on August 31. Now, with Argentina planning to give him a farewell at home against Benin, a new report claims Spain wanted to host his final international game. So, did Spain really invite Argentina to play Messi’s farewell in Europe?

The claim began circulating on September 15, when a report said the Royal Spanish Football Federation, or RFEF, had approached the Argentine Football Association with an idea for a Spain vs. Argentina friendly. According to the report, the match would have been played in Europe as a tribute to Messi and his long connection with Spain.

The same report claimed that Argentina turned down the proposal and instead decided to give Messi his farewell in front of Argentine fans. That quickly created a simple storyline: Spain wanted to say goodbye to Messi on European soil, but Argentina chose to keep the moment at home. However, there is an important part of the story that came before the report.

In July, Spain’s ambassador to Argentina, Joaquín María de Arístegui Laborde, publicly suggested the idea of using a Spain-Argentina match as a farewell for Messi. He spoke about the possibility of playing the Finalissima between the two countries and asked why it could not become a major farewell for the Argentine star. That confirms that the idea of a Spain-Argentina farewell had already been publicly discussed before the September report.

However, there is an important difference between that comment and the new claim. The ambassador publicly suggested the idea, but that does not establish that the RFEF formally contacted the AFA. The report making the stronger claim did not include an official statement from the RFEF, a copy of a formal proposal or a named federation official confirming that the invitation was made.

The timing of the report also added to the confusion. On September 15, Argentina announced its plans for the next international window. The team is scheduled to face Bolivia on September 30 in Córdoba, Burkina Faso on October 3 at the Monumental, and Benin on October 6 at the Monumental. Messi’s farewell plans were also made clear.

AFA president Claudio Tapia invited the Argentina captain to have his farewell against Benin on October 6 in front of the home crowd. Messi was included in the squad, with the AFA indicating that he, Rodrigo De Paul and Giovani Lo Celso would only be available for the final match of the window. That confirmed decision appears to have given the Spain claim more attention.

Once Argentina had chosen the Monumental for Messi’s farewell, the earlier comments from Spain’s ambassador and the new report about an alleged RFEF proposal were easily connected. But those are two different things.

Interestingly, Messi’s history with Spain may help explain why the claim sounds believable. He moved to Barcelona from Argentina at 13 and spent 17 years with the club’s first team, winning 10 La Liga titles and four Champions League trophies. But his international career was always tied to Argentina as he won the 2005 U-20 World Cup, the 2008 Olympic Gold, two Copa América medals and, most importantly, the 2022 World Cup.

That’s a piece of the history that makes the idea of a Spain-Argentina farewell seem like a plausible one. However, that still does not confirm that the RFEF formally invited Argentina to play Messi’s final international game in Europe. The alleged federation proposal remains unverified, while Argentina’s plan for Messi’s farewell at home against Benin is confirmed. As of now, the Spain invite should be considered a rumour and not a reality.