Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football, bringing a historic 20-year Argentina career to an end at age 39. The captain made the announcement through a handwritten message shared on Instagram, following Argentina’s defeat to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final. Messi leaves as Argentina’s most-capped player and leading scorer, with 207 appearances and 125 goals. His international honours include the 2022 World Cup and Copa América titles in 2021 and 2024, ending long trophy droughts for the national team.
Lionel Messi Announces International Retirement From Argentina After 20-Year Career
Football great Lionel Messi said goodbye to international football at age 39, ending a legendary career that included the World Cup and Copa América.
Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football, confirming on Monday he will no longer represent Argentina after a 20-year career with the national team.
Messi announced it on Instagram with a page handwritten in Spanish from a notebook saying the decision came after much reflection following Argentina’s loss in the 2026 World Cup final.
The Argentina captain said he had written the message on July 21, two days after the final, but later added that his father’s death reinforced his decision.
The announcement also had a deeply personal dimension with the death of Messi’s father, Jorge Messi, aged 68, on August 8 at a hospital in the Argentine city of Rosario.
Messi’s Argentina career reaches historic conclusion
Messi bowed out of international football as Argentina’s most capped player and all-time leading scorer with 125 goals in 207 appearances for the nation.
He is also the leading male scorer in South American international football history, breaking records with a career that has transformed Argentina’s fortunes across generations.
The 39-year-old forward played in six World Cups, winning the tournament with Argentina in Qatar in 2022 and making it to another final in 2026.
Argentina lost that 2026 final to Spain, bringing the latest chapter of Messi’s international career to an emotional conclusion after another extended World Cup campaign.
His 2022 triumph ended a 36-year wait for Argentina to claim a World Cup, giving the nation its third title after 1978 and 1986.
Before that breakthrough, Messi helped Argentina end a 28-year drought without a major trophy, winning the Copa America in 2021 and again in 2024.
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From international retirement to Argentina’s golden era
Messi had previously announced his international retirement in 2016 after Argentina lost three consecutive finals under his captaincy without securing a major international trophy.
He changed his mind and went on to guide Argentina through one of the most successful periods in the country’s football history.
Since then, he has rewritten his international story with back-to-back Copa América titles and the 2022 World Cup.
“I’ve always given everything for the Argentina shirt. I wanted to bring happiness and pride to the Argentine supporters,” Messi said in his farewell message.
He said it was still a difficult decision, but he felt the time was right and that younger players deserved opportunities in the national team.
Messi also thanked his family, coaches, teammates and officials as he reflected on memories built over two decades of playing for Argentina at the top level.
Lionel Messi's retirement sparks tributes worldwide
Messi’s retirement announcement has drawn tributes from top football figures, teammates, officials and public personalities, reflecting the extraordinary impact he has had beyond Argentina.
His wife Antonela Roccuzzo took to Instagram to pay an emotional tribute to him as she recalled how she watched him keep chasing his dreams through setbacks before seeing some of their happiest moments.
Argentinian President Javier Milei also posted on Instagram, sending a message in Spanish thanking Messi and calling him an “impossible man”.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino hailed Messi as a player who had an extraordinary international career. “Your talent and your humility have inspired millions and have helped to redefine our game,” Infantino said.
The Argentine Football Association would like to thank Messi for representing Argentina, for making fans dream and for making those dreams come true during his international career.
Rodrigo De Paul, who plays with Messi for Argentina and Inter Miami, highlighted Messi’s unconditional love for Argentina, his resilience in difficult periods, leadership and character with teammates.
Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez, who made his debut for Argentina shortly before joining Messi in the 2022 World Cup win, said: "Thank you for the guidance and the influence.
Messi’s legacy extends beyond Argentina
Former England international Gary Lineker also paid tribute and said Messi had carried Argentina's hopes, dreams and expectations for two decades, leaving memories football fans across the world will treasure.
For Sprouts News, Messi’s retirement ends an international era of fantastic stats, major trophies and a dramatic evolution of his relationship with Argentina supporters.
Now, with Messi out of the picture, it’s up to Argentina to move on from its greatest modern player and bring a younger generation into the fold of the national team.
Messi might have retired from the international game, but his legacy of six World Cups, 207 appearances, 125 goals, and major tournament wins will go down as a big part of Argentina’s football history.
