Messi announces retirement from international football

WEB DESK: Argentina football great Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football, more than a month after making his final appearance for the country in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.

The 39-year-old shared the announcement on Monday, saying he had given the decision considerable thought after Argentina’s defeat to Spain in the World Cup final.

“After the time that has passed since the final, and after giving it a lot of thought, I want to let everyone know that I am retiring from the Argentina national team,” Messi said in a statement shared on Instagram.

“It was a decision that hurt — and still hurts deep down — but I understand that the time has come,” he added.

Messi said he had always given his best for Argentina, not only during the years when the team achieved major success but throughout his international career.

“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,” he said.

In a footnote to his statement, Messi revealed that he had written the words on July 21, two days after the World Cup final.

“Today, after what happened with my dad, I am even more convinced than before,” he wrote.

Messi’s father, Jorge Messi, died earlier this month at a hospital in Rosario, central Argentina, at the age of 68.

Messi is Argentina’s all-time leading goalscorer and most-capped player, having scored 125 goals in 207 appearances for the senior national team.

He led Argentina to their third World Cup title in 2022, defeating France in a dramatic penalty shootout in the final in Qatar.

The Argentine star had previously announced his international retirement in 2016 after Argentina suffered three consecutive defeats in major finals — the 2014 World Cup and the 2015 and 2016 Copa America finals.

However, Messi reversed his decision shortly afterwards and went on to lead Argentina to Copa America glory in 2021.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Leo Messi (@leomessi)

The 2026 World Cup was the sixth edition of the tournament in Messi’s illustrious career.

Messi and Argentina produced several remarkable comeback victories on their way to the final, where they faced Spain. However, they suffered a 1-0 defeat after Spain scored in extra time.

The two-time World Cup Golden Ball winner is also the second-highest scorer in World Cup history with 21 goals, behind France’s Kylian Mbappe, who has 22.

Messi did not mention his club future in the Instagram statement.

The Inter Miami forward has been playing in Major League Soccer since 2023 and scored four goals in his most recent match for the club on Saturday.