Lionel Messi Announces Retirement From Argentina National Team
Lionel Messi Announces Retirement From Argentina National Team
Lionel Messi has officially retired from international soccer, closing the book on one of the greatest national team careers the sport has ever seen. The announcement came Monday, roughly six weeks after Argentina’s heartbreaking extra-time loss to Spain in the 2026 World Cup final, and just weeks after the death of his father and longtime agent, Jorge Messi.
In a heartfelt message posted to social media, Messi revealed he’d actually written the announcement days after the World Cup final, but held off on sharing it. His father’s passing, he said, only strengthened his resolve. He thanked Argentina for two decades of support, expressed pride in what he and his teammates accomplished together, and made clear he’s not walking away angry or bitter — just ready to become a supporter from the outside looking in.
Messi’s Argentina journey was a two-decade rollercoaster. After a rocky senior debut in 2005, he grew into the best player on the planet at Barcelona while carrying the weight of ending Argentina’s championship drought. He suffered painful losses in three Copa America finals and the 2014 World Cup final, and even briefly announced his retirement in 2016 after a heartbreaking penalty-shootout loss, before fans convinced him to return.
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The breakthrough finally came in 2021 with a Copa America title over host Brazil, followed by the crown jewel: Argentina’s 2022 World Cup title in Qatar, a run many consider the greatest individual tournament performance in soccer history. He added a second Copa America in 2024 and led Argentina back to the World Cup final this summer, falling just short.
With his international career now over, Messi’s focus turns fully to Inter Miami, though how much longer he’ll continue at the club level remains an open question.
