Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football, bringing an end to his Argentina career after more than two decades and 207 appearances for his country.
The 39-year-old made the decision public on Monday, weeks after Argentina were beaten 1-0 by Spain in the 2026 World Cup final in the United States. Messi said he had written the retirement statement on 21 July, two days after the defeat, but that the recent death of his father, Jorge, had made him “even more convinced than before”. ([investing.com](https://www.investing.com/news/world-news/messi-announces-departure-from-argentina-national-team-4883049))
In a message posted on Instagram, Messi described the decision as one that “hurt, and still hurts” but said he understood that “the time has come”. He added that he had given everything to the Argentina shirt and believed a new generation of players deserved their opportunity.
“I love, have loved, and will always love being part of the national team,” Messi wrote. “I’ve given everything I had; I have nothing left to give.”
Messi made his senior debut in 2005 and leaves as Argentina’s record appearance-maker and leading scorer, with 125 goals. He captained the country to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and also won the Copa América in 2021 and 2024, as well as the Finalissima against Italy in 2022. ([investing.com](https://www.investing.com/news/world-news/messi-announces-departure-from-argentina-national-team-4883049))
Messi’s Argentina career ends after World Cup final defeat
The final against Spain was Messi’s sixth World Cup and ended in disappointment as Argentina missed out on retaining the trophy. It was the second World Cup final he had lost, following defeat by Germany in 2014.
His announcement closes a remarkable international chapter that began with years of criticism and disappointment before he finally delivered major silverware. Messi’s first triumph came in the 2021 Copa América, followed by the World Cup in Qatar the following year.
He thanked Argentina supporters, his family, coaches and team-mates, saying he would now watch the national side “from the sidelines” rather than from the pitch.
The Argentine Football Association responded with a tribute to its captain, thanking him for “the most beautiful journey of our lives” and saying his legacy and professionalism would remain permanently in the country’s memory. ([investing.com](https://www.investing.com/news/world-news/messi-announces-departure-from-argentina-national-team-4883049))
Messi’s former team-mates also paid tribute. Rodrigo De Paul described him as “the greatest of all time” and praised his leadership, loyalty to Argentina and the way he supported players and staff around the national team.
Ángel Di María, Cristian Romero and Leandro Paredes were among those to post messages for Messi, with Paredes writing: “Thank you for absolutely everything. You are and always will be the greatest of all. We love you, captain.”
Jorge Messi’s death earlier this month added a deeply personal dimension to the announcement. In a previous message to his father, Lionel Messi had said he was unsure how he would continue after losing the man who had supported his career from the beginning.
Messi is not retiring from football altogether. He remains under contract with Inter Miami, having agreed an extension that runs through the 2028 Major League Soccer season. ([es.intermiamicf.com](https://es.intermiamicf.com/noticias/inter-miami-cf-renueva-el-contrato-de-leo-messi?utm_source=openai))
His final Argentina appearance therefore came in the World Cup final, ending a 21-year international career in which he transformed his standing in his homeland and established himself as one of the most decorated players in football history.
