Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football at 39, ending a legendary Argentina career with 207 appearances, 125 goals, two Copa América titles and the 2022 World Cup. His decision follows Argentina’s 2026 World Cup final defeat and his father’s death.
Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football, bringing an emotional end to one of the greatest careers in Argentina’s history. The 39-year-old confirmed his decision on Monday, August 31, in a heartfelt statement posted on his official Instagram account, saying he believes the time has come to step away from the national team after more than two decades of representing his country.
Messi’s decision closes a remarkable international chapter that began with his senior Argentina debut in 2005. During his career, he became Argentina’s most-capped player, making 207 appearances and scoring 125 international goals. He also led the country to some of its most important achievements, including the 2021 and 2024 Copa América titles and the 2022 FIFA World Cup triumph in Qatar.
The announcement came weeks after Argentina suffered a 1-0 defeat to Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final on July 19. Messi revealed that he had already written his retirement message just two days after that final, indicating that the defeat played an important role in his decision to leave international football.
In his emotional farewell, Messi said the decision was painful but that he understood it was the right moment. He stressed that he had always given everything for Argentina, not only during the successful years when the national team won major trophies, but also during the difficult periods that preceded those victories.
The retirement marks the end of a journey that included both extraordinary success and considerable disappointment. Messi reached the World Cup final in 2014, when Argentina lost to Germany, before finally lifting the trophy in 2022 after defeating France in a dramatic penalty shootout. Four years later, Argentina reached another final, but Spain secured a 1-0 victory in 2026.
For many years, Messi’s international career was defined by near misses. Argentina lost the 2014 World Cup final and suffered defeats in major Copa América finals, leading Messi to briefly announce his international retirement in 2016. He eventually returned and went on to deliver the most successful period of his national-team career.
His breakthrough with Argentina’s senior side eventually produced a collection of major honours that transformed his international legacy. The 2021 Copa América victory ended Argentina’s long wait for a major senior trophy, while the 2022 World Cup success in Qatar completed the achievement that had eluded him for much of his career. He later added another Copa América title in 2024.
However, Messi’s decision was influenced by more than the World Cup final. The death of his father, Jorge Messi, in August also reinforced his determination to step away. Jorge Messi had been an important figure throughout his son’s career, serving as his agent and playing a major role in his development from his early years.
Messi had previously expressed doubts about continuing to play football for much longer following his father’s death. His latest announcement therefore represents a major turning point, not only for Argentina but also for the player himself, whose career has been closely connected to his family and national team.
Another factor in Messi’s decision is the emergence of a new generation of Argentine players. In his farewell message, he acknowledged that younger footballers deserve opportunities with the national team. Messi indicated that he had given everything he could to the Argentina shirt and believed it was time for others to take their chance.
The Argentine icon also thanked supporters who remained behind him throughout his international career. His relationship with Argentina fans evolved significantly over the years, from periods of intense criticism following major defeats to widespread admiration after the national team finally began winning major trophies.
Messi said he would now support Argentina from outside the stadium, promising to remain behind the team during both successful and difficult periods. He also thanked his family, coaches, teammates and officials who accompanied him throughout his international journey.
Despite ending his international career, Messi is not retiring from football altogether. He is expected to continue playing club football with Inter Miami, where his contract runs through the end of the 2028 MLS season.
Messi’s departure from Argentina therefore closes one of the most celebrated international careers in football history. From his debut in 2005 to the World Cup triumph in 2022 and his final appearance in the 2026 World Cup final, he leaves behind records, trophies and memories that have defined an era of Argentine football.
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At 39, Messi walks away from the national team as a World Cup winner, multiple-time Copa América champion, record appearance holder and Argentina’s leading international goalscorer. His farewell represents the closing of a remarkable chapter for both the player and the country he represented for more than 20 years.
