The bond between Lionel Messi and the Antonio Vespucio Liberti Stadium, better known as the Monumental, dates back to a morning in 1998, when the 11-year-old from Rosario took part in a trial match for the youth divisions of River Plate.
Playing alongside him in attack was a certain Gonzalo Higuain, with whom he would later share several years in the national team. The pair, coached by Eduardo Abrahamian, put on a show. In the end, however, the Buenos Aires club was unwilling to pay for hormone treatment for the future record goalscorer for Argentina. The rest is history.
However, the stadium in the Buenos Aires district of Nunez has become a genuine fortress for the Albiceleste's No. 10. He will play his 29th match there today. It will probably be the most significant one, as it is the friendly organised to mark his farewell to his country's national team.
A unique event
Argentina have an impeccable record at the stadium, where he will wear the captain's armband for the final time.
Since his debut at River Plate's stadium — on 9 October 2005 in a World Cup qualifier against Peru (a 2-0 win) — Messi has made 28 official appearances and scored 19 goals. He has recorded 22 wins and six draws, including some iconic moments such as the rain-soaked 2-1 triumph when, once again against the Andean side, a late goal from Martin Palermo secured Argentina's place at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Diego Maradona was the coach of that Seleccion side.
Tonight's match against Benin, however, will be a unique occasion. All 80,000 tickets sold out in just two hours, despite prices that were steep for the fragile economy of a country constantly eroded by inflation. It will be a once-in-a-lifetime event as the all-time leading scorer bids farewell to the Seleccion, with Argentina set to experience a moment that is both solemn and deeply emotional.
The mood of the evening will be shaped by Messi's teammates, as well as opponents who are honoured to serve as sparring partners for a tribute that threatens to overshadow every moment of actual football. The opposing goalkeeper, Marcel Dandjinou, has already made it clear that, despite his deep respect for "a legend", he will not be giving anything away. "If there is a penalty to save, I will do my best to stop it," he said.
Intercontinental controversy
The dark side of the glittering medal that will be illuminated in Buenos Aires tonight is the controversy surrounding the occasion.
Burkina Faso, who lost 7-0 in their last friendly, had refused to travel to Buenos Aires, forcing the federation to replace them at the last minute with their Under-23 side.
Benin have also complained about organisational problems, from difficulties during the flight to the condition of the hotels, which lacked adequate facilities and had several services out of order.
The incidents have fuelled criticism of the AFA's handling of the event and the revenue generated by La Pulga's final appearance.
While protests in Africa have centred on alleged mistreatment, the main discontent in Europe concerns the handling of the players' return. With domestic leagues and European competitions entering their decisive stages, the prospect of losing key players to a highly emotional celebratory event has left more than one coach unhappy.
In Italy, Roma stood firm and kept Nahuel Molina and Paulo Dybala, meaning they will not be involved. Lautaro Martinez and Emiliano Martinez, meanwhile, have publicly reiterated that it was their duty as a group to be there and pay tribute to La Pulga.
With the exception of the Argentines involved, nobody will truly be happy about this occasion.
The tribute is certainly deserved for one of the greatest players in history. But after almost three full weeks away, many players will return very late to the clubs that pay their wages. Those clubs have already seen many of them come back injured or in less-than-ideal physical condition.