An era comes to an end: Messi announces his retirement from the Argentina national team
One of the greatest chapters in world football history has officially closed. The captain of the Argentina national team, the 39-year-old legendary forward Lionel Messi officially announced on his Instagram page that he is ending his 20-year career with the 'Albiceleste'.
In his statement, Messi expressed that making this decision was deeply painful, but he is fully convinced that the time has come.
“I am exhausted”: Messi’s heartfelt words
In his farewell post, the legendary player emphasized that he gave his all to the national team:
A path for the youth: “I am exhausted and can no longer give anything to the national team. A young and talented generation is coming that deserves to play in the squad.”
20 years of gratitude: “Thank you to the fans who supported me for 20 years, my family, the coaching staff, and my teammates. I will miss this environment dearly. Now, I will support the team as a simple fan.”
2026 World Cup: A farewell with records
Messi’s decision to retire was made after the 2026 World Cup final. In the decisive match held in New York, Argentina lost to Spain 0-1 in extra time (the goal was scored in the 106th minute by Ferran Torres ).
Nevertheless, Leo etched his name into history forever at this tournament:
Incredible statistics: Scored 8 goals and provided 4 assists in the 2026 World Cup;
Historic milestone: Became the first player in World Cup history to score a total of 20 goals;
Record for matches and assists: Set new records for the most matches and most assists in World Cup history;
Oldest player in final history: At 39, he broke Gunnar Gren’s long-standing record, becoming the oldest outfield player in the history of World Cup finals.
Messi’s glorious achievements in the Argentina jersey
The star, who debuted at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, played 207 matches, scoring 125 goals and providing 68 assists in the national team jersey. His trophies include:
World Champion: 2022 (Qatar);
World Cup runner-up: 2014 and 2026;
Copa América winner: 2021 and 2024;
Finalissima winner: 2022;
Olympic Champion: 2008 (Beijing).
This time the decision is final: Will the 2016 incident repeat?
This is not Messi’s first farewell to the national team. Exactly 10 years ago, in 2016, after losing the Copa América final to Chile, he announced his retirement, but returned at the fans' request and delivered the most glorious era (2021–2024 titles).
However, experts emphasize that this time the decision is irreversible. The forward’s age (39) and the recent heavy loss of his father’s passing show that he is firm in his decision.
What happens next?
Messi’s contract with the US club Inter Miamiis valid until 2028, meaning he will continue to play at the club level.
The Argentina national team will now enter the next Finalissima, the 2030 World Cup qualifiers, and the 2028 Copa América without their captain and leader.
Comments 0
…