Argentina legend Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football, bringing an extraordinary chapter of his career with the national team to an end.
Messi confirmed the decision Monday in an Instagram post featuring a handwritten entry in a notebook. The announcement comes shortly after the death of his father, Jorge Messi, who died Aug. 8 at a hospital in Rosario, Argentina. He was 68.
The 39-year-old Messi leaves the Argentina national team as its undisputed record holder in virtually every major category. The captain is Argentina’s all-time leading scorer and most-capped player, having scored 124 goals in 203 appearances.
He also departs as the highest-scoring men’s player in South American football history. For years, Messi’s international career was defined by heartbreak. Despite becoming one of the greatest players in football history, he repeatedly came up short with Argentina in major finals.
That changed dramatically in 2021. Messi led Argentina to the Copa América championship, ending the country’s 28-year wait for a major international trophy. The victory represented a major turning point for Messi, who had endured enormous pressure and criticism after several disappointing tournament finishes.
A year later, Messi reached the pinnacle of international football. At the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, he captained Argentina to the championship, defeating France in a dramatic final that was decided on penalties after a 3-3 draw. The title was Argentina’s first World Cup championship in 36 years and its third overall.
Messi was named the tournament’s best player after scoring seven goals and providing three assists. Argentina’s success continued after Qatar, with Messi helping the national team win another Copa América title in 2024.
This is not the first time Messi has announced his international retirement. Following Argentina’s loss to Chile in the 2016 Copa América final, Messi announced that he was stepping away from the national team. At the time, he had captained Argentina to three consecutive major tournament finals without winning any of them.
The decision shocked the football world. However, Messi reversed his retirement not long afterward and returned to the national team. That decision ultimately paved the way for one of the most remarkable stretches in Argentina’s history.
Messi went on to win the 2021 Copa América, the 2022 World Cup and the 2024 Copa América. Messi’s retirement marks the conclusion of an international career that spanned more than two decades and included 203 appearances and 124 goals for Argentina.
More importantly, he leaves behind a legacy that extends far beyond statistics. The player once criticized for not winning a major international trophy ultimately became the leader who delivered Argentina its biggest prizes. He fulfilled the country’s greatest footballing ambition by lifting the World Cup and established himself as one of the most important figures in Argentina’s sporting history.
From the disappointment of three straight lost finals to the celebrations in Qatar, Messi’s journey with Argentina was filled with extraordinary highs and devastating lows. Now, after leading his country to the summit of world football, Argentina’s captain has decided it is time to step away.
Lionel Messi’s international career is over but his legacy with Argentina will endure for generations.
