Argentina legend Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football, ending a stellar national-team career featuring 125 goals in 207 appearances.
Argentina football legend Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football, admitting that while the decision "hurts," he acknowledges that "the time has come" to end his national-team career.
The 39-year-old eight-time Ballon d’Or winner finishes as Argentina’s all-time leading scorer and most-capped player, tallying 125 goals in 207 appearances. During his international career, Messi led Argentina to a World Cup triumph in Qatar in 2022 alongside winning two Copa América titles.
Reflecting on his departure, Messi said he felt he had nothing left to contribute and wanted to give way to emerging talent. "Time is running short, chapters come to a close, and this is one that hurts me deeply," Messi stated. "I’ve given it my all, I have nothing left to give, and besides, there are some really great young players coming through behind me who deserve their chance."
The decision was further influenced by the death of his father, Jorge, who passed away at the age of 68 after a prolonged illness. Messi revealed on Instagram that he wrote his retirement message on July 21, two days after Argentina’s defeat to Spain in the World Cup final, noting that "after what happened with my dad, I’m even more convinced than before."
Messi's international journey began in 2005 when he debuted as a 63rd-minute substitute in a 2-1 friendly win over Hungary, only to be sent off less than a minute later following an incident with defender Vilmos Vanczak. He leaves the international game ranked second on the all-time World Cup scoring list with 21 goals—behind France’s Kylian Mbappe (22)—and second in overall international goals behind Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo (146).
While his international career has concluded, Messi will continue playing club football, remaining under contract with Major League Soccer side Inter Miami through the end of the 2028 season.
Reporting sourced from NorthEast Now Sports (Manipur/NE). Photo courtesy NorthEast Now Sports (Manipur/NE).