Lionel Messi retires from Argentina national team: “I gave everything”

Lionel Messi says he is leaving Argentina’s national team with pride in what he gave his teammates and supporters, but also with the pain of ending a defining chapter of his career.

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After deep thought, I want to announce my retirement from the national team.

Messi announced the decision on social media, writing, “After deep thought, I want to announce my retirement from the national team.” He described it as “a painful decision that still hurts,” but said he had accepted that the time had come.

The 39-year-old Inter Miami forward represented Argentina from 2005. He made 207 international appearances, scoring 125 goals and setting up 68 more. Argentina, led by Messi, won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, ending a 36-year wait for the title. The team also won consecutive Copa América tournaments in 2021 and 2024.

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It is a painful decision that still hurts, but I have decided to accept that the time has come.

Messi said he had always poured everything into the national-team shirt and wanted Argentines to feel proud of their country. “I loved being part of the national team, I love it, and I will love it forever,” he wrote. He added that he would continue cheering for Argentina “with all my voice,” in good times and bad.

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I loved being part of the national team, I love it, and I will love it forever.

He said he wrote the post on July 22, two days after Argentina lost the North and Central American tournament final to Spain. He also said the death of his father on Aug. 8 had strengthened his decision. Teammates Lisandro Martínez and Rodrigo De Paul responded by praising Messi’s importance, leadership and personal attention to each player.

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I gave everything so that you could feel proud of being Argentine.