Lionel Messi retires from international football, draws curtain on Argentina career

Argentina great Lionel Messi on Monday announced his retirement from international football, saying the decision hurts him deeply, but added that "the time has come".

Messi, the captain who led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title after a 36-year wait, said he would no longer wear the national team's colours, bringing an end to his illustrious international career.

The record eight-time Ballon d'Or winner made his Argentina debut in 2005 and is his country's most-capped player and all-time leading scorer, with 125 goals in 207 appearances. 

“It was a decision that hurt – and still hurts deep down – but I understand that the time has come. I swear to you that I always gave it my all – not just in these last few years when we won everything, but before that too; I always fought and left everything on the field for this jersey, to bring you joy and make you feel proud to be Argentine through football," Messi wrote in a social media post.

“Time is running short, chapters come to a close, and this is one that hurts me deeply. I love, have loved, and will always love being part of the national team. I’ve given everything I had; I have nothing left to give, and besides, there are some great young players coming up who deserve to be here,” he added.

“I leave with the peace of mind and pride of having given you — alongside my teammates — moments we once only dreamed of,” he added.

Defeat in this year's World Cup final by Spain denied Messi a fairytale farewell, but his place among the game's greats had long since been secured.

He transformed a complicated relationship with the national team into a story of redemption and triumph. After years of disappointment with Argentina, including defeat in the 2014 World Cup final and successive Copa America finals, Messi won his first major international trophy at the 2021 Copa America before leading his country to glory at the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star added another trophy to his cabinet in 2024 when he won the Copa America title. He arrived at his sixth World Cup hoping to complete an extraordinary final chapter.

However, a 1-0 loss to Spain meant that did not happen. 

Messi, 39, currently plays for Major League Soccer side Inter Miami, with his contract running until the end of the 2028 season.

His announcement comes a day after he scored four goals for Inter Miami, underlining the extraordinary form he continues to maintain despite being in the twilight of his career.

Messi is the second-highest scorer in men's international football, behind Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo.

Messi now walks away having emerged from the shadow of 1986 World Cup-winning captain Diego Maradona to forge a legacy of his own as another defining figure in his country's football history.