Valencia gives Guido Rodríguez permission to attend Messi tribute

Valencia has given Guido Rodríguez permission to travel to Argentina during the international break and attend events honouring Lionel Messi as he bids farewell to the national team. The midfielder will not take part in the tribute match, but will be present for a day to which the Argentine federation has invited several players from the generation that accompanied its captain through the team’s recent successes. He will return after the October 6 match.

The Argentine Football Association has also organised several events under the slogan « Gracias, Leo », honouring the Rosario-born player after he announced his international retirement. According to information reported on Saturday, the federation wanted Rodríguez to attend because of his role in the run that brought the Albiceleste the 2021 Copa América, the 2022 Finalissima, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and the 2024 Copa América.

Although he is not expected to play in the friendly against Benin, the midfielder has been invited to join Messi for this important occasion in Argentine football. Guido Rodríguez shared a dressing room with Messi during several of the national team’s major recent successes and remains close to many members of that group. The AFA intends to bring together the 2022 Qatar world champions and other players from that period to support the captain in his final match in the Albiceleste shirt in front of his home crowd.

Messi’s farewell in front of Argentine supporters is scheduled for October 6 at the Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires, where the team coached by Lionel Scaloni will face Benin in a friendly. Valencia’s permission will then allow the player to rejoin Javier Aguirre’s squad.