Argentina: Lionel Messi, Argentina football legend, has announced his retirement from international football, bringing an end to one of the most remarkable careers in the history of the sport.
The 39-year-old, who led Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar in 2022, has scored 125 goals in 207 appearances for his country. Messi leaves international football as Argentina’s all-time leading scorer and most-capped player.
In a statement, Messi said the decision was painful but acknowledged that the time had come to close another chapter of his career. Messi revealed that he had written his retirement message on July 21, two days after Argentina’s 1-0 defeat by Spain in the World Cup final. Messi also said the recent death of his father, Jorge Messi, had strengthened his decision.
Earlier in August, Messi had said he was considering his future following his father’s death at the age of 68 after a long illness. Despite retiring from international football, Messi’s club career will continue. Messi remains contracted to Major League Soccer side Inter Miami until the end of the 2028 season.
A historic Argentina career
Messi made his Argentina debut in 2005 in a friendly against Hungary. His first appearance lasted less than a minute after he was shown a straight red card following an elbow incident involving Hungary defender Vilmos Vanczak.
The difficult beginning was followed by a historic international career. Messi went on to win the 2022 FIFA World Cup and two Copa America titles with Argentina, cementing his status as one of football’s greatest players.
He is also the second-highest scorer in World Cup history with 21 goals, behind France’s Kylian Mbappe, who has 22. In international football overall, Messi ranks second with 125 goals, behind Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo’s 146.
Messi had previously announced his international retirement in 2016 after Argentina lost to Chile in the Copa America final. He missed his penalty during the shootout before later reversing his decision.
His final World Cup campaign added further records to his extraordinary legacy. Messi scored eight goals and provided four assists, taking his World Cup assist tally to 12. Ten of those assists came during knockout-stage matches, more than any other player on record.
What’s next for Messi?
Messi’s retirement from Argentina could raise fresh speculation about how he will conclude his club career. A return to Newell’s Old Boys, the Rosario club where Messi spent his youth years, has long been discussed as a possible romantic ending to his playing career. However, concerns over his family’s security in Rosario and the competitive level of Argentine football could make such a move difficult.
For now, Inter Miami appears to be the most likely final destination of Messi’s playing career. Messi leaves the international stage having delivered the trophies Argentina supporters had dreamed of for decades. After years of near misses, heartbreak and criticism, his World Cup triumph in 2022 completed one of football’s most celebrated stories.
The next chapter will be written at club level, where Inter Miami supporters will have the opportunity to watch the final years of one of the game’s greatest-ever players.
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