Among the many stories surrounding Lionel Messi's final match for Argentina, one of the most unexpected can be found on the opposing side.
From Latvia to Messi's Farewell: Who Is Ede Oloko, the Surprise European Golden Shoe Leader?
The Benin striker arrives at the Monumental with 25 goals in Latvia and as the provisional leader of the European Golden Shoe race. His remarkable scoring season also earned him a first international call-up just in time to be part of Lionel Messi's farewell.
Joseph Ede Oloko, a 25-year-old Benin striker, will arrive at the Estadio Monumental as one of the least familiar names involved in the friendly — but also with a remarkable statistic to his name: he currently sits provisionally atop the European Golden Shoe standings.
Argentina face Benin on October 6 at 8:00 PM local time in what will be Messi's final international appearance for the Albiceleste.
How Is Oloko Leading the Golden Shoe Race?
The answer requires some important context.
Oloko has scored 25 goals in Latvia's Virslīga, making him the league's leading scorer ahead of Muhammed Badamosi, who has 20. The Latvian Football Federation currently lists Oloko at the top of its official scoring chart.
Those 25 goals are worth 25 Golden Shoe points, as goals scored in Latvia carry a coefficient of one. Goals in Europe's five highest-ranked leagues, meanwhile, are worth two points each. That explains why Raphinha, despite scoring 12 LaLiga goals, already has 24 points and sits just behind him.
There is another crucial difference. Latvia operates on a spring-to-autumn calendar and its season is already approaching the closing stages, while the Premier League, LaLiga, Bundesliga, Serie A and Ligue 1 started much later.
So Oloko genuinely is the provisional leader, but the current standings do not make him the favorite to ultimately win the award.
A Breakout Season in Latvia
His career path explains why his name remains unfamiliar to most football fans.
Born in Nigeria on January 10, 2001, and holding both Nigerian and Beninese nationality, Oloko developed at 36 Lion FC before moving to AS Cotonou and later continuing his career in the Czech Republic and Latvia.
His breakthrough came in 2026.
Contracted to FK Liepāja, Oloko began the campaign on loan at Tukums 2000, scoring 16 league goals in 16 appearances. His form convinced Liepāja to end the loan early and bring him back in June, and he has since added nine more league goals to reach 25.
From the Virslīga to Facing Messi
Those numbers eventually caught the attention of Gernot Rohr. The Benin coach handed Oloko his first senior call-up in September for the 2027 AFCON Qualifiers against Burkina Faso and Mauritania, as well as the friendly against Argentina.
At the time of his selection, CAF highlighted a return of 26 goals and six assists in 30 matches across competitions during his club season.
Oloko then made his international debut against Burkina Faso, entering in the 88th minute for Aiyegun Tosin in a 1-1 draw.
There is also an interesting clue to the type of striker he hopes to become. In an interview earlier this year, Oloko named Robert Lewandowski as his attacking role model, highlighting the Polish striker's ability with both feet and his positioning inside the penalty area.
Just weeks after earning his first Benin cap, the striker who began 2026 on loan at Tukums could now find himself on one of the biggest stages of his career: the Monumental, against Argentina, as part of the night Lionel Messi says goodbye to international football.
