Lionel Messi has retired from international football, bringing the curtain down on his Argentina career after falling short in the World Cup final in July.
Perhaps the greatest player of all time, Messi had been hoping to lead his side to back-to-back tournament triumphs but suffered a 1-0 defeat to Spain in extra time.
The 39-year-old made 207 appearances for his country, the second most by any men’s international footballer, scoring 125 times across a career that spanned more than two decades.
Messi revealed he decided to retire two days after Argentina’s defeat to Spain in the World Cup final on 19 July, but then delayed announcing his decision.
Messi’s father, Jorge Messi, then passed away in August at the age of 68 after a long illness, after his son had returned to the pitch following the World Cup with his club, Inter Miami.
“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,” Messi wrote on Instagram.
“It was a decision that hurt – and still hurts deep down – but I understand that the time has come,” he said.
He added: “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.”
Messi’s crowning moment with Argentina came in 2022 when he captained his country to their third World Cup, following a dramatic victory over France in Qatar.
Having made his senior debut for Argentina in 2005 at the age of 18, Messi also led Argentina to the 2014 World Cup final, where they lost to Germany in extra time in Brazil.
Messi previously retired from Argentina in 2016, aged 29, after he suffered a fourth consecutive major final loss with his country following defeat to Chile in the Copa America final.
Messi returned, however, and finally won a major senior title with Argentina at the 2021 Copa America, which was followed by the World Cup and then another Copa America in 2024.
The forward finishes his career as the second-leading World Cup goalscorer behind Kylian Mbappe after the pair each surpassed Miroslav Klose’s record tally during the tournament.
An eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and Barcelona icon, Messi has continued playing for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer, scoring four goals in a 7-1 win over Montreal on Saturday.
But Messi said he “did not know how to carry on” following the death of his father, Jorge. Messi had also previously said that Argentina’s defeat to Spain brought “immense pain”.
The Argentina team posted on X: “Eternal thanks, Leo. We’ll love you until the end of our days.”
Lionel Messi’s statement on international retirement in full
“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.
“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.
“Thank you for all the affection over these past 20 years. I will miss hearing you from the pitch so much. Now I’ll be just one of you, cheering and supporting from the outside (through the good times and the bad – especially the bad).
“Thank you to my family for always being there, for accompanying me on this journey – so beautiful, yet so difficult. Thank you to every coach, team-mate, and official I’ve shared this path with. I take with me unforgettable memories and moments.
“I leave with the peace of mind and pride of having given you – alongside my team-mates – moments we once only dreamed of. It was an incredible experience to live this with you all. I love you! Thank you, God, for making me Argentine. Let’s go, Argentina!
“PS – 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.”
