Messi’s announcement came after Argentina reached the 2026 FIFA World Cup final under his leadership.
BUENOS AIRES: Argentina captain Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football at the age of 39, bringing an end to one of the most decorated international careers in the sport.
Messi made the announcement Monday in an emotional post on Instagram, saying the decision was painful but that he believed the time was right to step away from the national team.
Messi’s announcement came after Argentina reached the 2026 FIFA World Cup final under his leadership before losing 1-0 to Spain after extra time.
Messi ends his international career with 207 appearances and 125 goals for Argentina, making him the country’s most-capped player and all-time leading scorer.
He led Argentina to the 2022 FIFA World Cup title in Qatar and also helped the team win the Copa America in 2021 and 2024.
In his farewell message, Messi said he had always given everything for Argentina and wanted to bring happiness and pride to the country through football. He also acknowledged that a new generation of players was emerging.
The retirement marks the end of more than two decades of Messi representing Argentina and closes a remarkable chapter in the career of one of football’s greatest players.
More read, Messi lands in Argentina after World Cup final defeat
Earlier, just two days after Argentina’s World Cup dream came to a heartbreaking end, Lionel Messi quietly returned to his hometown of Rosario on Tuesday, bringing an emotional close to a tournament in which he once again carried his nation’s hopes.
The Argentina captain arrived at Rosario Airport aboard a private jet at around 6:30 a.m. (09:30 GMT), accompanied by his wife and three children, according to a local government source who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity.
Video shared by sports broadcaster ESPN showed a grey SUV carrying Messi from the airport to his home in the gated community of Funes, where he usually stays during visits to his native Rosario.
