Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football, bringing an end to a two-decade career with the Argentina national team.
The 39-year-old confirmed his decision in an emotional statement, saying he had reached the point where he had “nothing left to give” to the national team.
Messi revealed that he had actually written the retirement message on July 21, two days after Argentina lost the 2026 World Cup final to Spain, but delayed making it public.
He said the death of his father, Jorge Messi, earlier this month had further strengthened his decision, adding “It was a decision that hurt, and still hurts deep down, but I understand that the time has come.”
Messi said he had always given everything to Argentina, including during the difficult years before the team began winning major trophies, saying “I’ve given everything I had; I have nothing left to give, and besides, there are some great young players coming up who deserve to be here”.
In his retirement message, Messi thanked his family, coaches, teammates, officials and supporters for accompanying him throughout his 20 years with Argentina.
“I leave with the peace of mind and pride of having given you, alongside my teammates, moments we once only dreamed of. I love, have loved, and will always love being part of the National Team. Thank you for all the affection over these past 20 years. I will miss hearing you from the pitch so much. Now I’ll be just one of you, cheering and supporting from the outside”, said Messi.
Messi ended his message with a tribute to his country, saying, “Thank you, God, for making me Argentine. Let’s go, Argentina!”
