Lionel Messi Retirement: A golden era in the world of football has come to an end. Argentine legend Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football. Messi, who dazzled on the pitch in the Argentina jersey for over two decades, will no longer be seen playing for the national team. Under Messi’s captaincy, Argentina won the 2022 FIFA World Cup title. The team also reached the final in 2026 under his leadership but missed out on a second consecutive title after losing to Spain.
In an emotional farewell message, Messi revealed that making this decision was incredibly difficult. He wrote that he had given his all for the country and now felt he had nothing left to offer. According to Messi, while the decision was deeply painful, he felt the time was right.
Messi’s Emotional Post
Messi wrote on Instagram that, after careful reflection following the final, he had decided to retire from the national team. It was a decision that hurt him deeply, yet he realized the moment had come. He had always given his everything—not just in recent years when the team won everything, but prior to that as well. He had always worked hard and poured his heart and soul into the jersey to bring joy to the fans and make them proud to be Argentine through football.
A Dream Realized in 2022
The most memorable moment of Messi’s international career came in 2022 when, under his captaincy, Argentina won the World Cup title in Qatar. This was Argentina’s first World Cup victory since 1986. Messi scored seven goals in the tournament and played a pivotal role in leading the team to the championship.
Additionally, under Messi’s captaincy, Argentina won the Copa América title twice consecutively, in 2021 and 2024. He led the team to the final in the 2026 World Cup as well, but Argentina returned empty-handed after losing the title match to Spain. This was Messi’s sixth World Cup. He ranks among the players with the most appearances in the history of the men’s World Cup. Over the course of his career, he played in three World Cup finals. Argentina lost to Germany in 2014; the team became champions in 2022, while in 2026, they had to settle for the runner-up spot. In his final World Cup, Messi scored eight goals and provided four assists.
Questions arose regarding his career after his father’s passing
Earlier this month, following the death of his father, Jorge Messi, Messi had expressed doubts about continuing to play for the long term. His father passed away on August 8 at the age of 68. Despite retiring from international football, Messi will continue playing at the club level. He is currently part of the Major League Soccer (MLS) club Inter Miami in the United States. His current contract runs through the 2028 MLS season.
