Messi Continues Club Career With Inter Miami Until 2028
Lionel Messi announces international retirement after two decades with Argentina
New Delhi: Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football, bringing an emotional end to a remarkable 20-year journey with Argentina that saw him lift.
The 39-year-old confirmed his decision on Monday, August 31, in a statement shared on his official Instagram account. For millions of Argentina supporters who have watched Messi grow from a gifted young player into one of football’s greatest icons, the announcement marks the closing of an extraordinary chapter.
Messi said the decision had been on his mind since Argentina’s World Cup final defeat to Spain. The death of his father, Jorge, later strengthened his belief that the time had come to step away from the national team.
“After all this time since the final, and after thinking about it a lot, I want to let everyone know that I am retiring from the national team,” Messi wrote.
Messi has shared an unusually deep connection with Argentina’s supporters, particularly after experiencing years of disappointment before finally delivering major international trophies.
“It was a decision that hurt, and still hurts deeply, but I understand that this is the right time,” Messi said, stressing that he had always given everything for the Argentina shirt.
Messi made his senior international debut in 2005. His early years with Argentina were marked by enormous expectations and painful defeats, including losses in the 2014 World Cup final and other major tournament finals.
For years, international success seemed to remain just out of reach. That changed dramatically in 2021, when Messi helped Argentina win the Copa América. He followed that achievement with another Copa América triumph before reaching the summit of international football at the 2022 World Cup.
That World Cup victory in Qatar became one of the defining moments of his career. After years of criticism and questions about whether he could deliver a major trophy for Argentina, Messi finally lifted football’s biggest prize.
However, the journey has now reached its final stage. Messi revealed that he had originally written his retirement statement on July 21, just two days after the final against Spain.
Today, after what happened with my father, I am even more convinced than before,” he said.
The loss of his father appears to have given the decision an even more personal meaning. After spending much of his adult life representing Argentina, walking away from the jersey is not simply a sporting choice for Messi.
He also pointed to the passage of time and the arrival of younger players as reasons for stepping aside. Messi said several talented youngsters now deserve the opportunity to represent Argentina and build their own memories with the national team.
His farewell therefore carries both sadness and acceptance. Messi said he will always love being part of Argentina and will continue supporting the team even after leaving the field.
For Argentina fans, his retirement means saying goodbye to a player who gave them heartbreak, unforgettable celebrations and, ultimately, the trophies they had waited years to see.
Lionel Messi announced his international retirement on August 31.
He made his Argentina senior debut in 2005 .
Messi leaves with a record 207 international appearances .
Messi said his father’s death strengthened his decision to retire.
He said younger Argentine players now deserve their opportunity.
Messi will continue to support Argentina from outside the stadium .