On Monday, Lionel Messi retired from international football, closing a 21-year career with Argentina’s national team that included a World Cup title and two Copa America crowns.
The 39-year-old forward shared the decision on Instagram in a post built around a handwritten note, saying he wrote the message on July 21, two days after Argentina’s loss to Spain in the World Cup final.
“It was a decision that hurt, and still hurts deep down, but I understand that the time has come,” Messi wrote in the post. He did not address his club future in the statement.
Lionel Messi is simple. No video montage, no fancy pictures.. just a handwritten letter for his retirement post.
The greatest ever, always keeping it simple. 🤍🐐 pic.twitter.com/S85FfpjvBT
— CFC Wasi (@CFCWasi) August 31, 2026
Argentina fell 1-0 to Spain in the July 19 World Cup final, with Ferran Torres scoring in extra time. It was Messi’s sixth World Cup, tying the record for most tournament appearances by any player. The defeat marked what was expected to be his last match at the tournament.
Messi’s farewell comes weeks after father’s death and World Cup loss
His father, Jorge Messi, who also served as his longtime agent, died Aug. 8 in Rosario, Argentina, at 68. In the same post, Messi wrote that after what happened with his father, he was “even more convinced than before” of his decision.
Messi leaves the national team as Argentina’s all-time leading scorer, with 125 goals, and its most-capped player, with 207 appearances. He won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the 2021 and 2024 Copa America titles, and the 2022 Finalissima. He is an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner.
The Argentine Football Association thanked Messi in a statement posted online, calling him “Captain” and saying his legacy would remain “forever etched” in the hearts of the federation. AFA president Claudio Tapia has said the organization plans to permanently retire Messi’s No. 10 jersey once his international career ends.
Teammates including Angel Di Maria, Enzo Fernandez, Lisandro Martinez and Rodrigo De Paul also posted messages thanking Messi following the announcement.
Why Messi’s international football retirement differs from his 2016 attempt
Messi first attempted to retire from international football in 2016, after Argentina lost the Copa America final to Chile on penalties. He reversed the decision weeks later following public pressure. This time, Messi indicated the decision was final, writing that he had nothing left to give and that younger players deserved their place on the roster.
Messi will continue playing club football for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer, where his contract runs through 2028. His decision follows a wave of similar announcements after the 2026 World Cup, including from Brazil’s Neymar and Argentina defender Nicolas Otamendi, who retired from international play with 139 caps.
Argentina’s next major tournament is the 2028 Copa America, when Messi would have been 41.
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