Lionel Messi retires from Argentina national team

Argentina national team captain and legendary footballer Lionel Messi has officially ended his international career following the 2026 World Cup. The 39-year-old forward posted an emotional farewell message on his social media, written on a notebook page in Spanish. This was reported by Goal.com. reports .

According to Goal.com, throughout his international career, Lionel Messi appeared in six World Cups, maintaining his status as the player with the most appearances and goals in the country's history. He managed to score 125 goals in 207 matches for La Albiceleste.

Reasons behind the retirement decision

The footballer stated that he had written his farewell statement on July 21, two days after the 2026 World Cup final. However, the passing of his father, Jorge Messi, on August 8 in Rosario at the age of 68, made him even more firm in his decision.

"I wrote these words on July 21. Today, after what happened with my dad, I am even more certain of this decision than before," Lionel Messi wrote on his Instagram page. According to him, making this decision was very difficult, but he realized the time had come.

The end of a legendary era

Messi reached the 2026 World Cup final with Argentina, facing Spain. Although they suffered a defeat in the final, he left an indelible mark on the world stage and ended his career as the top-scoring male player in South American football history.

Recall that Lionel Messi previously announced his retirement from the national team in 2016 after three consecutive major final defeats, but he soon changed his mind and returned to the squad.

"I always gave my all for this jersey and fought until the end on the pitch. I am proud that, together with my teammates, we gave our people moments we once only dreamed of," the footballer added in his message.