Argentina football legend Lionel Messi has officially brought down curtains on his legendary 21-year-old international career. The 39-year-old released a lengthy statement on Instagram, announcing his decision to retire from international football and claimed that the time has come to bid goodbye to the Argentina national team.
“I always fought and left everything on the field for this jersey” – Lionel Messi
Taking to Instagram, the veteran footballer wrote that his father’s recent demise has convinced him to retire with conviction. He stated:
“It was a decision that hurt and still hurts deep inside, but I understand that this is the right moment. I swear I always gave everything, not only in these last few years when we won everything, but before that too. I always fought and gave everything for this shirt, to bring you happiness and make you feel proud to be Argentine through football. There isn’t much time left, and different chapters are coming to an end. This is one that hurts me a lot. I love, I loved, and I will always love being part of the national team. I gave everything I had, and I don’t have anything more to give. Also, there are great young players coming through who deserve to be here.”
“Thank you for all the love during these 20 years. I’m going to miss hearing you from the inside. Now I’ll be one of you, always supporting from the outside, in the good times and even more in the bad ones. Thank you to my family for always being there and for being with me throughout this beautiful but difficult journey. Thank you to every coach, teammate and director I had the chance to share it with. I take with me unforgettable memories and moments. I leave with peace and pride, knowing that together with my teammates we gave you moments we once dreamed of. It was crazy to experience all of this with you. I love you! Thank you God for making me Argentine. Vamos Argentina! I wrote these words on July 21, two days after the final. Today, after what happened with my dad, I’m even more convinced of this decision than before.”
How many goals did Lionel Messi strike in the FIFA World Cup 2026?
The star forward’s final international match was during the FIFA World Cup 2026 final against Spain at the MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford in New Jersey. While Argentina entered the tournament-decider as considerable favourites, Spain miraculously didn’t let them take even one scoring shot. Ferran Torres hit the lone goal of the match as Spain went on to lift the FIFA World Cup for the second time and for the first time since 2010. However, Messi still had a tournament to remember, netting eight goals and clinched the Adidas Silver Boot.
