Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football, ending an extraordinary 21-year career with Argentina.
The decision comes after Argentina suffered a 1-0 extra-time defeat against Spain in the 2026 World Cup final.
Messi made his senior international debut in 2005 and went on to become both Argentina’s record appearance-maker and leading scorer.
The 39-year-old leaves international football with 207 appearances and 125 goals for his country.
His final World Cup campaign ended in disappointment, although he still helped Argentina reach another major final. Messi said in his retirement statement that he posted on Instagram:
“I wrote these words on July 21, two days after the final… today, after what happened with my dad, I’m even more convinced of this decision than before.
After all this time since the final, and after thinking about it a lot, I want to tell everyone that I’m retiring from the national team.
It was a decision that hurt and still hurts deep inside, but I understand that this is the right moment.
I swear I always gave everything, not only in these last few years when we won everything, but before that too. I always fought and gave everything for this shirt, to bring you happiness and make you feel proud to be Argentine through football.
There isn’t much time left, and different chapters are coming to an end. This is one that hurts me a lot. I love, I loved, and I will always love being part of the national team. I gave everything I had, and I don’t have anything more to give.
Also, there are great young players coming through who deserve to be here.
Thank you for all the love during these 20 years. I’m going to miss hearing you from the inside. Now I’ll be one of you, always supporting from the outside, in the good times and even more in the bad ones.
Thank you to my family for always being there and for being with me throughout this beautiful but difficult journey. Thank you to every coach, teammate and director I had the chance to share it with. I take with me unforgettable memories and moments.
I leave with peace and pride, knowing that together with my teammates we gave you moments we once dreamed of. It was crazy to experience all of this with you. I love you!
Thank you God for making me Argentine.
Vamos Argentina!”
Messi made the decision two days after the World Cup final on July 19, before publicly announcing it several weeks later.
The recent death of his father, Jorge, further strengthened his conviction that the time had come to step away.
Messi’s international journey was transformed by a remarkable run of success during the latter stages of his career.
He captained Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title in Qatar, ending the country’s long wait for another global crown.
That triumph followed their Copa America success in 2021, before Argentina retained the continental title in 2024.
Messi also helped his country win the 2022 Finalissima during a period of sustained international success.
His final tournament came at the 2026 World Cup, where Argentina once again reached the final before losing to Spain.
Across more than two decades, Messi became the defining figure of his country’s modern football history.
He now steps away from international duty while continuing his club career with Inter Miami. Messi remains under contract with the Major League Soccer side through the 2028 season.
His Argentina career ends with a World Cup, two Copa America titles and a record-breaking individual contribution spanning 21 years.
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