Lionel Messi has officially announced his retirement from international soccer, bringing an end to one of the greatest careers in Argentina national team history.
The 39-year-old superstar announced Monday that he will no longer represent Argentina following a remarkable international career that lasted more than two decades. Messi made his senior debut for Argentina in 2005 and went on to become the country’s all-time leader in appearances and goals. He finished his international career with 207 appearances and 125 goals.
Messi’s journey with Argentina included plenty of heartbreak before ultimately becoming one of the greatest success stories in international soccer. After losing the 2014 World Cup final and suffering defeats in major Copa América finals, Messi finally captured his first major international trophy at the 2021 Copa América.
He then reached the pinnacle of his career in 2022, leading Argentina to the World Cup championship in Qatar. Messi scored seven goals during the tournament and won the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player.
Argentina returned to the World Cup final in 2026, giving Messi an opportunity to end his international career with another championship. However, Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 after extra time, denying Messi a second World Cup title.
In his retirement announcement, Messi described the decision as painful but said he understands that the time has come to step away. He also expressed pride in everything he accomplished while wearing the Argentina shirt.
Although Messi is retiring from international soccer, his playing career is not over.
Messi remains a member of Inter Miami and recently signed a contract extension that keeps him with the club through the 2028 MLS season. That means fans will still have an opportunity to watch one of soccer’s greatest players compete at the club level.
For Argentina, however, a legendary era has officially come to an end.
Messi leaves the national team as a World Cup champion, two-time Copa América champion, record scorer and record appearance holder. His career with Argentina transformed from years of disappointment into a period of unprecedented success.
The next generation of Argentine stars will now attempt to carry the national team forward, while Messi begins the final chapter of his legendary soccer career in Miami.
