Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from
international football with Argentina, bringing an extraordinary 21-year career
with the national team to an end after 207 appearances.
The 39-year-old forward made his senior debut for
Argentina in 2005 and went on to become one of the most decorated players in
the country’s history.
Messi’s international career included triumphs at the
2022 FIFA World Cup and two Copa América tournaments. He also finished as a
World Cup runner-up in 2014 and 2026.
Explaining his decision, Messi admitted that walking
away from the national team was painful but said he believed the time had come
to close that chapter of his career.
The Inter Miami forward stressed that he had always
given his maximum for Argentina and fought to bring happiness and pride to the
country’s supporters.
Messi also pointed to the emergence of a new
generation of talented Argentine players as one of the factors behind his
decision. He said the younger generation deserved the opportunity to represent
the national team and build its own legacy.
The Argentine captain further revealed that the death
of his father, Jorge Messi, earlier this month contributed to doubts about how
much longer he would continue his international career.
Messi also opened up about the physical difficulties
he experienced during Argentina’s World Cup final defeat to Spain in July.
The forward admitted that his legs struggled to cope
with the demands of the match despite his efforts to push himself beyond his
physical limits.
He described the experience as one of the factors that
ultimately influenced his decision to retire from international football.
Messi will, however, continue his club career with
Major League Soccer side Inter Miami, where he remains under contract until
2028.
He leaves Argentina duty having played a central role
in the country’s recent successes and established himself as one of the
greatest players in Argentine football history.
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