Lionel Messi has officially announced his retirement from international football and will no longer represent the Argentina national team.
Lionel Messi has confirmed his retirement from international football, bringing his remarkable career with the Argentina national team to an end after 207 appearances.
The 39-year-old forward made his senior debut for Argentina in 2005 and went on to become the country's most-capped player and leading goalscorer. His international career included two Copa América triumphs and the 2022 FIFA World Cup title.
Messi's decision comes after more than two decades representing Argentina and following a period in which he had increasingly questioned how much longer he could continue playing at the highest level.
In an emotional statement, Messi acknowledged that ending his international career was a difficult decision but said he believes the time has come to move on.
The Inter Miami forward said he had always given everything for the national team, including during the difficult years before Argentina's recent run of major successes.
He expressed his pride in representing Argentina and said his motivation had always been to make supporters happy and give them reasons to be proud of their national team.
Messi also pointed to the emergence of a new generation of Argentine players as part of his decision, saying the younger generation deserves an opportunity to establish itself with the national team.
A decorated Argentina career
Messi's relationship with the Argentina national team was not always straightforward.
After making his debut in 2005, the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner endured several years of disappointment with the national team, including defeats in major finals.
He finished as a World Cup runner-up in 2014 before losing consecutive Copa América finals in 2015 and 2016.
The breakthrough finally came in 2021, when Argentina defeated Brazil to win the Copa América, giving Messi his first major senior international trophy.
He followed that success by leading Argentina to victory at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where he scored seven goals and was named the tournament's best player.
Argentina subsequently added another Copa América title, further cementing Messi's legacy as one of the country's greatest footballers.
Messi's announcement also comes after Argentina's defeat to Spain in the World Cup final in July.
Messi's next chapter
Although Messi has stepped away from Argentina duty, his club career is set to continue.
The forward remains an Inter Miami player, with his current contract running until 2028.
His retirement from international football therefore marks the end of one of the most extraordinary chapters of his career rather than his retirement from football altogether.
For Argentina, however, the departure of their captain and greatest-ever goalscorer signals the beginning of a new era as a younger generation prepares to take centre stage.
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