Buenos aires: Argentina legend Lionel Messi announced his international retirement on Monday. The 39-year-old, widely considered the greatest football player of all time, won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with Argentina, bringing the title back to the country for the first time since 1986.
According to Deutsche Welle, the 2026 World Cup marked Messi's last appearance in the world's most well-known footballing competition. It ended in disappointment for Argentina after a defeat to Spain in the final. Despite being past his prime, the Argentina captain was the second most prolific goalscorer of the 2026 World Cup with eight goals, only being edged out by France's Kylian Mbappe, who scored ten. Messi also became second in the World Cup's all-time goalscorer list, trailing Mbappe by just one goal, as both surpassed Germany striker Miroslav Klose's 16 goals during the tournament in the US, Canada, and Mexico.
Messi shared his thoughts on Instagram, expressing that his decision to retire was a deeply emotional one. "It was a decision that hurt and still hurts deep in my soul," he posted, revealing that he composed his international retirement message two days after the World Cup final defeat to Spain. Yet, he acknowledged, "But I understand that it is the right time." Messi emphasized that he "always gave everything, not just in the last few years," aiming to bring joy to Argentine fans and make them "feel proud to be Argentine through football." He concluded with gratitude, saying, "I leave with the peace of mind and pride of having given you - alongside my teammates - moments we once only dreamed of."
Messi's international career was marked by significant achievements, including becoming Argentina's most capped player with 207 appearances, during which he scored 125 goals, setting another all-time record. Under Messi's captaincy, Argentina also clinched the Copa America titles in 2021 and 2024.
While Messi's international journey comes to an end, his club career continues at Inter Miami, where he is contracted until the end of the 2028 MLS season. However, following the death of his father Jorge in August, Messi expressed "serious doubts" about continuing to play football for "much longer." The attacker transitioned to the US side in 2023 from Paris Saint-Germain, following a 15-year tenure with Spanish giants Barcelona. During his time at Barcelona, Messi won the UEFA Champions League four times and the Spanish title ten times. Financial constraints prevented Barcelona from retaining him, leading to his move to Qatar-backed PSG, where he spent two years winning two league titles before relocating to Miami.