Lionel Messi has retired from international football at the age of 39, bringing an extraordinary 21-year career with Argentina to an end just weeks after leading the national team to the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.
Messi leaves international football as Argentina’s most-capped player and all-time leading scorer, having represented his country at the highest level for more than two decades.
The Argentina captain announced his decision on Monday, saying the move “hurts deeply” but acknowledging that the time had come to close the chapter.
His final appearance for Argentina came in the 2026 World Cup final in New Jersey on July 19, where Spain defeated the defending champions 1-0 after extra time, with Ferran Torres scoring the decisive goal.
Messi revealed that he had written his retirement message two days after the final but delayed releasing it publicly because his father, Jorge Messi, was seriously ill. Jorge died on August 8.
Messi made his senior Argentina debut at the age of 18 in 2005, beginning a national-team career that would become one of the most decorated in football history.
He finished with 207 international appearances and 125 goals, both national records. He also scored 21 goals at the World Cup.
The Argentine superstar appeared at a record-equalling six World Cups, reaching the final three times — in 2014, 2022 and 2026.
For much of his early international career, Messi’s brilliance was accompanied by repeated disappointments with Argentina.
After losing the 2016 Copa America final to Chile, he briefly announced his retirement from international football. However, a huge public campaign involving supporters and prominent figures convinced him to return.
His comeback marked a dramatic transformation in his international career.
Messi subsequently helped Argentina win the 2021 Copa America, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and the 2024 Copa America before leading the team to another World Cup final in 2026.
The 2022 World Cup triumph was particularly significant, ending years of criticism over his failure to win a major international trophy and strengthening his claim to a place among football’s all-time greats.
Messi leaves the international stage with eight world player-of-the-year awards and major international honours that include one World Cup and two Copa America titles.
His achievements have placed him alongside legends such as Diego Maradona and Pelé in the debate over the greatest footballer of all time, with many supporters and analysts regarding him as the best ever.
Messi’s longtime Argentina teammate Rodrigo De Paul praised his captain’s leadership and resilience, while Leandro Paredes and Cristian Romero also thanked him for his enormous contribution to the national team and the country.
The Argentine Football Association paid tribute to Messi, expressing gratitude for his years of service and for representing the nation while helping turn the hopes of millions of Argentines into reality.
Messi’s international retirement does not signal the end of his professional playing career.
The forward remains with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer, where he continues to produce outstanding performances.
Just one day before announcing his retirement, Messi scored four goals in Inter Miami’s 7-1 victory over CF Montréal.
His decision nevertheless closes one of the most remarkable chapters in international football — a journey that began in 2005 with an 18-year-old substitute who was sent off just two minutes after entering the pitch and ended with a 39-year-old captain departing the international stage as a World Cup-winning Argentine icon.
