Argentine legend Lionel Messi announced on Monday his international retirement, bringing an end to an illustrious career with the national team that spanned over two decades.
The 39-year-old, widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time, led Argentina to victory at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, securing the country's first title since 1986.
The 2026 World Cup, Messi's last appearance on the global stage, ended in disappointment for Argentina after a loss to Spain in the final. This defeat proved to be the final chapter in Messi's international career.
"It was a decision that hurt and still hurts deep in my soul," Messi posted on his Instagram account, revealing that he wrote the retirement message two days after the World Cup final defeat to Spain.
"But I understand that it is the right time," he added. Messi said he "always gave everything, not just in the last few years," and that he wanted to bring Argentina fans joy and make them "feel proud to be Argentine through football."
"I leave with the peace of mind and pride of having given you — alongside my teammates — moments we once only dreamed of," the Argentina legend wrote, before concluding with "Vamos, Argentina!"
Messi is his country's most capped player with 207 appearances, in which he scored 125 goals, another all-time record. Under his captaincy, Argentina also won the Copa America in 2021 and 2024.
His club career will continue at current club Inter Miami, where he has a contract until the end of the 2028 MLS season. However, he expressed "serious doubts" about continuing to play football for "much longer" following the death of his father Jorge in August.
The attacker moved to the American side in 2023 from PSG, after a 15-year career with Spanish giants Barcelona, with whom he won the UEFA Champions League four times and the Spanish title ten times.
Despite wanting to stay at Barcelona, the club could not afford to keep him due to financial restrictions, leading to his move to Qatar-backed PSG, where he spent two years winning two league titles, before moving to Miami.
Source: www.dw.com