Argentine football icon Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football, ending an extraordinary 21-year journey with the national team.
The 39-year-old made the announcement on Monday through an emotional social media post. His decision came more than a month after Argentina reached the FIFA World Cup final for the second consecutive time.
Messi said he had thought carefully about his future before deciding to leave the national team. He stressed that he had always given his maximum effort for Argentina, including during the difficult years before the team began winning major trophies.
“After the time that has passed since the final, and after giving it a lot of thought, I want to let everyone know that I am retiring from the National Team...
“It was a decision that hurt — and still hurts deep down — but I understand that the time has come. I swear to you that I always gave it my all — not just in these last few years when we won everything, but before that too; I always fought and left everything on the field for this jersey, to bring you joy and make you feel proud to be Argentine through football,” he wrote on Instagram.
Messi says the time has come
Messi acknowledged that walking away from Argentina was an extremely painful decision. However, he believes the time is right to close this chapter of his career. “Time is running short, chapters come to a close, and this is one that hurts me deeply. I love, have loved, and will always love being part of the National Team. I’ve given everything I had; I have nothing left to give, and besides, there are some great young players coming up who deserve to be here,” he added. The Argentine star also revealed when he first wrote his retirement message. He said he prepared the statement on July 21, just two days after Argentina lost the FIFA World Cup final to Spain in New York. Messi explained that the death of his father, Jorge Messi, later strengthened his decision. Jorge died on August 8 at the age of 68. “I wrote these words on July 21st, two days after the final. Today, after what happened with my dad, I am even more convinced than before,” he wrote.View this post on Instagram
A historic Argentina career
Messi made his senior Argentina debut in 2005. Over the following two decades, he became the most successful goalscorer in the country’s history. He scored 125 international goals in more than 200 appearances. He also represented Argentina at six FIFA World Cups. Messi reached three World Cup finals during his career. He eventually lifted the trophy in 2022 after Argentina defeated France in the final in Qatar. He also helped Argentina win two Copa América titles. Another remarkable achievement came through his individual performances at the World Cup. Messi remains the only player to win the FIFA World Cup Golden Ball twice. He received the award in 2014 and again in 2022.Messi leaves with pride
Although Argentina suffered disappointment in the 2026 World Cup final, Messi said he can leave international football with a sense of pride. The forward reflected on the remarkable moments he experienced with the national team. Many of those achievements had once seemed like distant dreams. “Now I’ll be just one of you, cheering and supporting from the outside,” he wrote. Messi also thanked the people who supported him throughout his international career. His message included his family, coaches, teammates and officials who worked with him over the years. However, he reserved his most emotional words for Argentina, the country he represented for more than two decades. “Thank you, God, for making me Argentine.” “Let’s go, Argentina!”Messi’s retirement brings an end to one of the most remarkable international careers in football history. From his debut in 2005 to his World Cup triumph in 2022 and his later appearance in another World Cup final, he leaves the Argentina team after helping deliver some of the biggest moments in the nation’s football history.View this post on Instagram