Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football, bringing an end to a 21-year Argentina career that saw him overcome years of heartbreak to become the country’s most decorated and influential footballer.
The 39-year-old confirmed his decision on Monday in an emotional statement posted on Instagram, weeks after Argentina’s 1-0 defeat to Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.
Messi revealed that he had originally written the statement on July 21, two days after the final, but the death of his father, Jorge Messi, earlier this month has made him even more certain about his decision.
“Today, after what happened with my dad, I am even more convinced than before,” Messi wrote.
Jorge Messi, who was 68, died on August 8 in Rosario after a long illness. He had been a central figure in his son’s career, serving as his agent and supporting his journey from Rosario to becoming one of football’s greatest players.
Messi leaves the national team as Argentina’s record appearance-maker and leading goalscorer, with 207 appearances and 125 goals. He made his senior debut in 2005 and spent more than two decades carrying the expectations of a football-mad nation.
For much of that journey, success with Argentina appeared to elude him.
Messi reached the 2014 World Cup final but lost to Germany, before suffering consecutive Copa América final defeats to Chile in 2015 and 2016. After the 2016 final, he briefly announced his retirement from international football before returning to the national team.
The turning point came in 2021, when Messi finally won his first major senior international trophy as Argentina defeated Brazil in the Copa América final. He followed that with the 2022 Finalissima victory over Italy and, most significantly, the 2022 World Cup triumph in Qatar.
Messi scored twice in the final against France as Argentina won the World Cup for the first time since 1986. He finished the tournament with seven goals and three assists and became the first player to win the World Cup Golden Ball twice.
He then helped Argentina retain the Copa América title in 2024, taking his major international trophy haul with the national team to three. He also holds the record for the most Copa América appearances, having featured 39 times across seven editions.
His final World Cup campaign provided one last remarkable chapter.
Messi scored five goals in the 2026 tournament before Argentina reached the final, where they were beaten 1-0 by Spain. He finished the competition with 21 World Cup goals overall, although France’s Kylian Mbappé subsequently moved ahead of him on 22.
Despite the disappointment of missing out on a second World Cup triumph, Messi said he leaves with “peace of mind and pride” after helping create moments that Argentina had once only dreamed of.
“I always gave everything — not only in these last few years when we won everything, but before that too,” he wrote. “I always fought and gave everything for this shirt, to bring you joy and make you feel proud to be Argentine through football.”
He also acknowledged that Argentina’s next generation is ready to take over.
“I have nothing more left to give, and besides, there are some very talented young players coming through who deserve to be there,” he said.
Messi thanked his family, teammates, coaches and supporters for accompanying him throughout what he described as a beautiful but difficult journey, adding that he would now support Argentina from outside the pitch.
“Now I’m going to be one of you, always supporting and cheering from the outside.”
After years of criticism, near misses and questions over whether his international career would ever match his extraordinary club achievements, Messi leaves Argentina having won the trophies that once seemed beyond him — a Copa América, a second Copa América and the World Cup.
He leaves, too, as Argentina’s most-capped player, its all-time leading scorer and the captain who finally delivered the nation’s long-awaited World Cup.
“Gracias Dios por hacerme argentino.” — Thank you, God, for making me Argentine.
Author: I am truly heartbroken. I got into football because of Messi. It was his stickers, banners, jerseys, keychain lying around my house because my brothers were big football fans.
2013, I fell in love with him, Barcelona against Ajax. It was such a delightful to see him play.
I supported Barcelona, PSG, Argentina and now Inter Miami because of him. I broke in 2016 during the hate train but we bounced back.
You’ve done it all Ankara Messi. I’ll see you in the next Inter Miami match for the next 3 years where I know you’ll work your magic again.