Lionel Messi has officially announced his retirement from international soccer, bringing a close to a storied 20-year tenure representing Argentina. The 39-year-old shared the news via his Instagram account, describing the choice as a deeply painful decision that he nonetheless felt was necessary at this stage in his career.
Reflecting on his time with the national team, Messi expressed that he had always given his full effort, stating, "I swear to you that I always gave it my all — not just in these last few years when we won everything, but before that too; 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."
Messi’s international journey was defined by resilience. After making his debut in 2006, he endured years of frustration before finally achieving his dream of lifting the World Cup in 2022 in Qatar. He participated in a record-tying six World Cups. During the most recent tournament hosted by the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, Messi played all eight matches and scored eight goals, finishing just one behind France’s Kylian Mbappé. He exits the international stage as Argentina’s all-time leading scorer with 125 goals, including 21 scored in World Cup competitions.
The announcement had been prepared in writing on July 21, two days after Argentina lost to Spain in the World Cup final in New Jersey. However, Messi delayed the public reveal as he supported his father, Jorge Messi, who was facing severe health issues. Jorge Messi passed away on August 8 in his native Rosario.
This is not the first time the star has stepped away from international duty; a decade ago, following a difficult penalty-kick loss to Chile in the 2016 Copa América final, Messi briefly retired from the team. He eventually returned, leading Argentina to subsequent Copa América titles in 2021 and 2024. Reflecting on his overall experience, he noted, "I leave with the peace of mind and pride of having given you — along with my teammates — moments we once only dreamed of. Experiencing this with you was incredible. I love you all."
While his international career has concluded, Messi will continue playing for his club side, Inter Miami, where he remains a dominant force, recently scoring four times in a 7-1 victory over CF Montreal. He has not specified how long he intends to remain active in club soccer. Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni honored his legacy during the recent World Cup, calling him "pure history" and "a legend." Looking ahead, Messi said he plans to support the national team from the stands, adding, "Now I'm going to be one of you, cheering and supporting you from the outside (through thick and thin, even more so)."
