Buenos Aires, Sept 1:
Argentina great Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football at the age of 39, bringing an end to an extraordinary 21-year career with the national team and one of the greatest chapters in international football.
Messi announced his decision on Monday, saying it was a painful call but that he believed the time had come to step away from Argentina. His decision follows the country’s 1-0 extra-time defeat to Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final in July, which became his final appearance for the national side.
The Argentine captain leaves international football as his country’s all-time leading scorer, having scored 125 goals in 207 appearances.
Messi’s international career was marked by both prolonged disappointment and extraordinary success. After years of heartbreak, he finally ended Argentina’s long wait for a major international trophy by helping the team win the Copa América in 2021.
He then reached the pinnacle of international football in 2022, captaining Argentina to the FIFA World Cup title in Qatar. The triumph completed a remarkable turnaround for a player who had endured intense criticism following repeated failures in major finals.
Messi added another major honour to his collection by leading Argentina to the 2024 Copa América title.
His final international match came in the 2026 World Cup final against Spain. Argentina were held goalless in regulation time before Spain scored in extra time to secure a 1-0 victory.
Messi had already indicated shortly after the defeat that his international journey was nearing its end. The recent death of his father, Jorge Messi, further influenced his decision, according to the Argentine star.
The retirement closes a remarkable international career that began more than two decades ago and saw Messi evolve from a teenage prodigy into Argentina’s captain and most influential player.
For years, Messi’s Argentina career was defined by disappointment. The team lost four consecutive major finals, including the 2014 World Cup final and the 2015 and 2016 Copa América finals. Messi even briefly announced his international retirement in 2016 before returning to the national team.
His eventual success transformed the narrative.
The 2021 Copa América, 2022 World Cup and 2024 Copa América titles established Messi as the central figure of Argentina’s most successful modern era.
With 125 goals and 207 appearances, he also leaves behind records that are unlikely to be easily surpassed.
Messi’s departure marks the end of an era for Argentina, with the team now facing the enormous challenge of moving forward without the player who has carried its hopes for more than two decades.