Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football with Argentina, bringing an end to one of the most remarkable careers in the history of the game.
The 39-year-old forward made the announcement after earning 207 caps for Argentina since making his senior debut in 2005. His decision ends a 21-year international career in which he became Argentina’s most decorated and influential player.
Messi leaves the national team with a World Cup title, two Copa América trophies and a long list of individual records. His international career also included World Cup final appearances in 2014 and 2026, although Argentina lost both matches.
The Barcelona and Inter Miami great finally reached the top of world football with Argentina at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where he led the team to glory.
Argentina defeated France on penalties in the final after a thrilling 3-3 draw following extra time. Messi scored twice in the final and converted his penalty during the shootout, completing a World Cup campaign in which he was named player of the tournament.
His success with Argentina came after years of disappointment at major international competitions.
Before winning the World Cup, Messi had lost the 2014 World Cup final to Germany. He also suffered defeats in the 2015 and 2016 Copa América finals, both against Chile.
Those setbacks led him to briefly announce his retirement from international football in 2016 before later reversing the decision.
Messi eventually enjoyed a golden period with Argentina. He helped the country win the 2021 Copa América, defeating Brazil 1-0 in the final at the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.
Argentina then won the 2022 World Cup before claiming another Copa América title in 2024.
However, his latest international chapter ended with another painful World Cup final defeat to Spain in July 2026.
Explaining his decision to retire, Messi said it was painful but acknowledged that the time had come to leave the national team.
“It was a decision that hurt – and still hurts deep down – but I understand that the time has come,” he said.
The Argentine captain said he had always given everything for the national team, including during the difficult years before the team’s recent successes.
“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,” he said.
Messi said he remained deeply attached to Argentina and would always value the opportunity to represent his country.
“Time is fleeting, chapters come to an end, and this is one that deeply affects me,” he said. “I love, have loved, and will always cherish being part of the national team.”
The forward also pointed to the emergence of a new generation of Argentine players as one of the reasons behind his decision.
“I’ve given everything I had; I have nothing left to offer, and moreover, there are some exceptional young players emerging who deserve this opportunity,” he said.
His decision was also influenced by a difficult period in his personal life. Messi revealed that the death of his father, Jorge, earlier this month had caused him to question whether he could continue playing for Argentina.
The loss came as Messi was already dealing with concerns about his physical condition.
He also spoke about the physical difficulties he experienced during Argentina’s World Cup final against Spain in July.
“My legs could no longer continue,” Messi said, describing his efforts to push himself beyond his physical limits during the match.
“This time I attempted to push myself beyond my physical limits, but I was unable to,” he added.
The comments underline the physical demands of international football on a player who has spent more than two decades at the highest level.
Messi’s international career was not always marked by success. Despite establishing himself as one of the greatest players in football history, he initially faced heavy criticism in Argentina because he had failed to win a major senior international trophy.
Much of the criticism centred on his performances in major finals and comparisons with Argentina legend Diego Maradona.
That changed after Argentina’s Copa América triumph in 2021 and the World Cup victory a year later.
Messi’s achievements also include becoming Argentina’s all-time leading scorer and most-capped player. His 207 appearances put him among the most experienced international footballers in history.
His retirement will leave Argentina facing the challenge of replacing not only a world-class player but also the leader who has been at the centre of the national team for years.
Argentina has, however, developed a strong group of younger players who are expected to play bigger roles in the future.
Messi’s decision also means that his international career will be remembered largely through the success he achieved in its final years.
For many years, his relationship with Argentina was marked by frustration and near misses. But he eventually delivered the trophies that had been missing from his record.
Away from international football, Messi remains active at club level.
He currently plays for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer in the United States, where his contract runs until 2028.
His move to Inter Miami in 2023 followed a spell with Paris Saint-Germain after his long career at Barcelona.
At Barcelona, Messi won numerous domestic and international trophies and became the club’s leading goalscorer. He later moved to Paris Saint-Germain before joining Inter Miami.
Although he is retiring from international football, his club career is not yet over.
For Argentina, however, the end of the Messi era represents the closing of a historic chapter.
From his debut in 2005 to his World Cup triumph in 2022 and his final appearance in 2026, Messi gave the country more than two decades of service.
His decision to step away now allows a new generation of Argentine players to take responsibility for the national team while giving Messi the opportunity to focus on the remaining years of his club career.
For Argentina supporters, the memory of his long-awaited World Cup triumph is likely to remain the defining image of his international career.
After years of heartbreak, Messi finally delivered the biggest prize in football. Now, at 39, he believes the time has come to hand over the national team jersey to those coming behind him.