BREAKING: Lionel Messi Retires From International Football After 21 Years With Argentina

 

Argentina captain Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football, bringing an end to a remarkable 21-year career with the national team.

The 39-year-old football icon made the announcement on Monday, August 31, 2026, in an emotional statement shared on social media, confirming that he will no longer represent Argentina at international level.

Messi said the decision was painful but one he believes is right for him at this stage of his career. He explained that he had given everything to the Argentine national team throughout his career and now believes it is time to allow a new generation of players to take over.

“I gave everything I had, and I don’t have anything more to give,” Messi said, while expressing his continued love for the national team and promising to support Argentina from outside the pitch.

The announcement comes after Messi led Argentina to the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, where they suffered a 1-0 defeat to Spain. The match has now been confirmed as the final international appearance of his illustrious career.

Messi made his senior Argentina debut in 2005 and went on to become the country’s most-capped player and all-time leading goalscorer, finishing his international career with 207 appearances and 125 goals.

His international career reached its defining moment in 2022 when he captained Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar. He also won the Copa América in 2021 and 2024, establishing himself as one of the most decorated players in Argentine football history.

Messi revealed that he had actually written his retirement message on July 21, two days after the 2026 World Cup final, but delayed making the decision public.

He said the recent death of his father, Jorge Messi, on August 8 further strengthened his decision. Jorge was not only Messi’s father but also played a major role in managing his career.

In his farewell message, Messi thanked his family, coaches, teammates, officials and millions of Argentine supporters who stood by him throughout his journey.

He also expressed pride in everything Argentina achieved during his time with the national team, saying he leaves with peace knowing that he and his teammates gave fans moments they had once only dreamed of.

Messi’s retirement from international football marks the end of one of the most celebrated eras in the history of the Argentina national team.

He is expected to continue his club career with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.

Messi Mourns Father, Reveals How His Final World Cup Was a Promise to Him

Lionel Messi has opened up emotionally about the final World Cup he played after the death of his father, Jorge Messi, revealing that his decision to compete was deeply connected to his father’s wishes and worsening health.

Jorge Messi, who was 68, died in Rosario, Argentina, on August 7 after battling an illness. He had been one of the most influential figures in Lionel Messi’s life and career, serving not only as his father but also as his longtime representative and adviser. 

Messi returned to Rosario following his father’s death to mourn him and attend his funeral, before returning to the United States. 

In his first major public reflection since his father’s passing, the Argentine superstar looked back at the difficult period surrounding the World Cup and explained how much his father’s encouragement meant to him.

Messi revealed that his father had repeatedly asked him to play in what turned out to be another major World Cup campaign.

“Dad, you kept asking me to play in one last World Cup… just days before it began was when your condition got worse,” Messi recalled.

The situation became even more painful because it was the first tournament in which his father was not expected to be there with him.

Messi said his mother continued to reassure him that Jorge would recover and might eventually become well enough to travel and watch him play.

The football icon said he kept telling his father that Argentina would reach the World Cup final, making that objective feel like a personal mission.

“I kept telling you we were going to reach the World Cup final so you could make the trip, this was my mission once again,” Messi said.

But as the tournament progressed, the reality of his father’s condition became increasingly difficult to ignore.

After every match, Messi said he found himself waiting for a message from his father.

That was when he began to understand how serious the situation had become.

“I couldn’t stop thinking about going as far as possible, give you more time and the chance to watch one of the games,” he recalled.

Argentina eventually reached the final, but Jorge was unable to make the journey.

For Messi, the final carried an additional emotional weight. He wanted to win the trophy and take it back to his father, giving him another World Cup triumph to celebrate. But Argentina ultimately lost the final to Spain 1-0.

Messi also admitted that his body had struggled throughout the tournament.

“My legs just couldn’t give me any more,” he said, explaining that he had tried to push himself beyond what his body could handle.

The 39-year-old revealed that he never truly felt physically right during the competition, despite his determination to continue.

Argentina’s run to the final therefore became more than a football campaign for Messi. It was also an attempt to fulfil a promise he had made to his father.

Although he did not get the opportunity to hand Jorge another World Cup trophy, Messi said the journey still had enormous meaning.

“We didn’t become champions Dad, but you have no idea how much we enjoyed every match,” he wrote.

He also acknowledged that his father had been right to insist that he participate.

“Once again, you were right: I had to be there and play in it… as you told me, always,” Messi said.

The tribute comes as Messi also considers his own future in football. Following his father’s death, he has admitted that he now has serious doubts about how much longer he wants to continue playing. Reuters reported that Messi said his father’s absence has left him questioning his future in the sport. 

Jorge was not simply Messi’s father. He had been a central figure throughout the footballer’s journey, from his early days in Rosario to his rise into one of the greatest footballers in history. He also served as Messi’s representative and adviser for much of his career. 

Messi’s latest message therefore carries a significance beyond the World Cup. It is a farewell to the man who stood beside him throughout his journey and a reflection on one of the most emotionally difficult periods of his career.

For years, Messi’s achievements on the pitch have been closely connected to the support of his family. Now, following Jorge’s death, the footballer is facing a new chapter without one of the people who had been with him from the beginning.

And while Messi’s future in football remains uncertain, he has made one thing clear: his father’s influence on his life will continue long after his playing career comes to an end.