- Posted By: Digital Team
- September 1, 2026 @ 4:55 am
- Sports Daypop
Lionel Messi has officially ended his historic two-decade international career, announcing his retirement from the Argentina national team six weeks after leading his country to the 2026 FIFA World Cup final. While his international chapter is closed, Messi will continue playing at the club level with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.
The 39-year-old superstar made the public declaration through a statement on Instagram post, revealing he drafted his farewell shortly after Argentina’s extra-time defeat to Spain on July 21. His decision was further cemented following the passing of his father and longtime representative, Jorge Messi. “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,” Messi wrote. “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.” He added that the recent loss of his father reinforced his resolve: “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.”
The announcement brings a definitive conclusion to an extraordinary narrative arc on the global stage. After making his senior debut in 2005, Messi spent years enduring agonizing near-misses, including heartbreaks at the 2014 World Cup final and multiple Copa América tournaments, which briefly prompted a short-lived international retirement in 2016. However, his late-career resurgence transformed his international legacy, captaining La Albiceleste to consecutive Copa América titles in 2021 and 2024, alongside a triumphant 2022 World Cup victory in Qatar that ended Argentina’s 36-year wait for the ultimate prize.
Messi leaves the international stage with 207 caps, 125 goals, and a unmatched collection of accolades, including two World Cup Golden Balls. Expressing confidence in the future of the national program, Messi emphasized that the next generation of Argentine talent is ready to assume the mantle. “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,” Messi noted, while offering gratitude to supporters: “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,” Messi concluded. “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!”
Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com
