Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football, bringing an end to a remarkable 21-year career with the Argentina national team.
According to football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Messi confirmed his decision in a statement on Monday after taking time to reflect following Argentina’s latest World Cup campaign.
Messi calls time on Argentina career
“After all this time since the final, and after thinking about it a lot, I want to tell everyone that I’m retiring from the national team,” Messi said.
The 39-year-old admitted that walking away from the national side was a painful decision but said he had accepted that the time had come to close that chapter of his career.
Messi said he leaves with pride after giving everything whenever he represented Argentina, both during the difficult years when major trophies proved elusive and during the successful period that eventually followed.
He also reflected on the joy of helping deliver moments that he and his teammates once only dreamed of achieving.
Historic international career ends
Messi made his senior Argentina debut in 2005 and went on to become one of the most important players in the country’s football history.
For years, international success appeared to evade him despite his dominance at club level, with Argentina suffering several painful defeats in major finals.
That changed in 2021 when Messi captained Argentina to Copa America glory after defeating Brazil in the final at the Maracana.
The triumph was followed by victory over Italy in the 2022 Finalissima before Messi achieved the defining international success of his career at the World Cup in Qatar.
Argentina defeated France on penalties in a dramatic 2022 final, with Messi lifting the trophy that had long been missing from his collection.
Argentina later retained the Copa America in 2024, extending a golden period for the national team.
Messi leaves lasting Argentina legacy
Beyond the trophies, Messi established himself as Argentina’s record goalscorer and one of its most-capped players during more than two decades with the senior team.
His international journey also included an Olympic gold medal in 2008 and the FIFA Under-20 World Cup title in 2005.
Messi thanked his teammates, coaches, family and supporters who accompanied him throughout his years with the national side.
While his international career has now ended, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is expected to continue playing club football with Inter Miami.
His retirement closes one of the defining chapters in modern international football, taking Messi from years of criticism and near-misses with Argentina to eventually captaining his country to its greatest honours.
