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FIFA World Cup-winning legend Lionel Messi announced his retirement from international football on Sunday, bringing down the curtain on one of the finest careers in international football, which witnessed records, heartbreaks, goals and redemption in equal parts.
Messi announces his international retirement over one month after his side, Argentina's, FIFA World Cup 2026 final loss to Spain by 1-0 and just days after the demise of his father, Jorge Messi. Messi's father died on August 8 in the central Argentine city of Rosario at the age of 68. In a written statement, as quoted by 433, Messi said, "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. It was a decision that hurt and still hurts deep inside, but I understand that this is the right moment." "I swear I always gave everything, not only in these last few years when we won everything, but before that too. I always fought and gave everything for this shirt, to bring you happiness and make you feel proud to be Argentine through football," he added. https://www.instagram.com/leomessi/p/DctWzhYxElg/?hl=en https://www.instagram.com/reel/DctYV2qt6S5/ Messi acknowledged that the end of this chapter of his career "hurts him a lot", as he "gave everything he had and he does not have anything more to give". He also pointed to the emergence of young talent within the squad, saying that they "deserve to be here". "There is not much time left, and different chapters are coming to an end. This is one that hurts me a lot. I love, I loved, and I will always love being part of the national team. I gave everything I had, and I don't have anything more to give. Also, there are great young players coming through who deserve to be here," he said. He thanked everyone for their love for these past two decades, saying that while he will miss their support on the field, he will now be amongst the fans supporting the national side in their good and bad times. "Thank you to my family for always being there and for being with me throughout this beautiful but difficult journey. Thank you to every coach, teammate and director I had the chance to share it with. I take with me unforgettable memories and moments," he said. "I leave with peace and pride, knowing that together with my teammates we gave you moments we once dreamed of. It was crazy to experience all of this with you. I love you!." On a concluding note, he said, "Thank you God for making me Argentine. Vamos Argentina!" I wrote these words on July 21, two days after the final. Today, after what happened with my dad, I am even more convinced of this decision than before." The Argentina skipper is his country's most-capped player and highest goal scorer, with 203 appearances and 124 goals. He is also the highest goal-scorer in South American football history. In 2022, after years of heartbreaks, particularly the 2014 FIFA World Cup final loss to Germany, Messi tasted FIFA World Cup glory, beating a Kylian Mbappe-powered France in the final. It was his country's first WC in 36 years and their third overall, as per ESPN. Before that, Messi had also played a massive role in ending Argentina's 28-year title drought, securing the Copa America title in 2021 and winning it back-to-back after World Cup glory in the 2024 edition. Messi had previously announced his international retirement back in 2016 after Argentina lost to Chile in the Copa America final that year but reversed his retirement, leading his nation to World Cup glory six years later in Qatar. Messi scored two goals in the title clash and also converted a penalty, winning the match 4-2 for his side after the match ended in 3-3 draw at regulation time. The legendary footballer appeared in six FIFA World Cups from 2006 to 2026, scoring 21 goals in 34 matches. He is the second-highest goal-scorer in the tournament's history, with France's Mbappe holding the record with 22 goals. In this year's World Cup, Messi had eight goals to his name and four assists, making him one of the standout performers in the tournament. This also included his maiden FIFA WC hat-trick against Algeria. He had overtaken Germany legend Miroslav Klose's record of most FIFA World Cup goals before Mbappe snatched the top spot from him. Messi will, however, continue playing for his club, Inter Miami, in Major League Soccer (MLS). Inter Miami is currently placed fourth in the MLS with 12 wins, six draws and four losses, giving them 42 points, 10 points behind Nashville SC. (ANI)
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