Lionel Messi has retired from international football after captaining Argentina to the 2022 World Cup and leading them to the final of this year’s tournament.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, 39, announced his decision in an Instagram post, bringing an end to a 21-year international career in which he became Argentina’s record appearance-maker and leading scorer, with 125 goals in 207 matches.
“It was a decision that hurt – and still hurts deep down – but I understand that the time has come,” Messi wrote.
He said he had written the retirement letter on July 21, two days after Argentina’s 1-0 defeat by Spain in the 2026 World Cup final, but delayed publishing it while his father, Jorge Messi, faced serious health problems. Jorge Messi died in Rosario on August 8.
Messi’s Argentina career ends after two decades
The defeat by Spain denied Messi the fairytale ending he had hoped for at his sixth World Cup, but his status as one of the greatest players in football history had already been secured.
After years of frustration with Argentina, including defeat in the 2014 World Cup final and successive Copa America final losses, Messi finally won a major international honour when he guided his country to the 2021 Copa America title.
He then inspired Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar in 2022, before adding another Copa America triumph in 2024. His international career began in 2005 and ultimately saw him emerge from the shadow of Diego Maradona, Argentina’s celebrated 1986 World Cup-winning captain, to establish a legacy of his own.
“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,” Messi said.
The forward thanked Argentina supporters for their backing over the past two decades and said he would now support the national team from outside the pitch.
“I’m going to miss hearing you all from the inside so much. Now I’m going to be one of you, cheering and supporting you from the outside,” he wrote.
Messi did not announce his retirement from club football. He remains captain of Inter Miami, with his contract at the Major League Soccer club running until the end of the 2028 season.
He scored four goals for Inter Miami in a 7-1 victory over CF Montreal at the weekend.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni recently described Messi as “pure history” and “a legend”.
Messi ended his statement by saying he left with “the peace of mind and pride” of having shared moments with his team-mates that they had once only dreamed of.
