Lionel Messi announces international retirement after 21-year Argentina career

Argentina football icon Lionel Messi on Monday announced his retirement from international football, bringing an emotional end to a remarkable 21-year career with the national team.

The 39-year-old made the announcement in a lengthy and heartfelt social media post, more than a month after captaining Argentina to their second consecutive FIFA World Cup final. Messi said he had thought deeply about the decision and felt the time had come to step away after giving everything he had to the national team.

“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.

“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.”

Messi’s retirement closes one of the most decorated international careers in football history. During his time with Argentina, he helped the country win two Copa América titles and the 2022 FIFA World Cup, finally ending decades of heartbreak at major international tournaments.

The Argentine great also pointed to the emergence of a younger generation of players, saying they deserved the opportunity to take his place.

“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 said.

At the end of his post, Messi revealed that he had actually written the retirement message on July 21, two days after Argentina’s defeat to Spain in the World Cup final in New York. The recent death of his father, Jorge Messi, on August 8 at the age of 68, further strengthened his resolve to retire.

“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,” Messi wrote.

Messi made his Argentina debut in 2005 and went on to become the country’s all-time leading goalscorer, scoring 125 goals in more than 200 appearances. He represented Argentina at six World Cups and remains the only player to win the tournament’s Golden Ball twice, in 2014 and 2022.

He appeared in three World Cup finals and lifted the trophy in Qatar in 2022, cementing his status as one of the greatest players in football history.

Despite the disappointment of the 2026 World Cup final, Messi said he was leaving the national team with pride and peace of mind after experiencing achievements he had once only dreamed of.

“Now I’ll be just one of you, cheering and supporting from the outside,” he wrote.

Messi also thanked his family, coaches, teammates and officials who had been part of his extraordinary journey with Argentina.

He ended his emotional farewell with a tribute to the country he represented for more than two decades:

“Thank you, God, for making me Argentine.”

“Let’s go, Argentina!”