🇦🇷 Lionel Messi Announces Retirement From International Football at Age 39
Argentine football legend Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football, bringing an extraordinary chapter with the Argentina national team to an end at the age of 39.
Messi announced the decision in an emotional Instagram post, saying that after reflecting on his future following Argentina’s 2026 World Cup campaign, he believed the time had come to step away from the national team.
The legendary captain leaves Argentina as the country’s all-time leading goalscorer and most-capped player, having scored 125 goals in 207 appearances.
“The Time Has Come”
In his farewell message, Messi acknowledged how difficult the decision had been, saying he had always given everything while representing Argentina.
He reflected on the difficult years before Argentina’s recent successes and thanked supporters, teammates, coaches, officials and his family for accompanying him throughout his international career.
Messi said he would now become another Argentina supporter, cheering for the national team from outside the pitch.
His farewell also came during a deeply emotional period for his family following the reported death of his father, Jorge Messi, earlier in August.
From Painful Defeats to World Champion
Messi’s international journey was filled with both heartbreak and historic triumph.
After years of criticism for failing to reproduce his club success with Argentina, Messi eventually helped end the country’s long wait for a major international trophy by winning the 2021 Copa América.
He then achieved the greatest triumph of his international career by captaining Argentina to the 2022 FIFA World Cup title in Qatar, the country’s first World Cup victory in 36 years and third overall.
Argentina and Messi followed that success by winning another Copa América in 2024.
Messi ultimately appeared at six World Cups and helped Argentina reach another World Cup final in 2026.
A Career That Almost Ended in 2016
This was not the first time Messi announced his international retirement.
In 2016, after Argentina suffered a series of painful defeats in major finals, Messi announced that his career with the national team was over.
He later reversed that decision.
That comeback ultimately transformed his international legacy, as he went on to lift the Copa América and finally the World Cup trophy that had eluded him for much of his career.
Argentina Says Goodbye to Its Captain
Messi’s announcement prompted emotional reactions from across Argentina and the football world.
His wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, paid tribute to his perseverance throughout the difficult periods of his international career and celebrated his eventual fulfillment of his dreams.
Argentina President Javier Milei, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, the Argentine Football Association and several of Messi’s former teammates also paid tribute to the legendary captain.
Players including Rodrigo De Paul and Enzo Fernández praised Messi’s leadership, determination and influence on the generations that played alongside him.
The End of an Extraordinary Era
Messi leaves international football as one of the most celebrated players in Argentina’s history, alongside the late Diego Maradona.
His international career included more than two decades representing his country, 207 appearances, 125 goals, Copa América titles and the unforgettable 2022 World Cup triumph.
Although Messi will no longer wear Argentina’s shirt on the pitch, his achievements have permanently secured his place in the history of Argentine and world football.
🇦🇷 Thank you, Leo. An unforgettable chapter of football history comes to an end.
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✍️ Author: Meca Media